Rave is a board game created by WOW Enterprises in 1991, based on the subcultural rave dance movement of the early 1990s. Players drive around collecting flyers and energy tablets, then attend raves and dance to collect pieces of the WOW Triptych. The first player to collect all three sections of the Triptych wins. The game was designed by Patrick Treloar with art by Jamie Hewlett (of Tank Girl and Gorillaz fame), and was controversially withdrawn from sale shortly after release due to adult content.
Components
1 Game board
Playing pieces (one per player)
Money (starting at 50 pounds each)
Flyer cards
Vibe cards
Energy tablet tokens
WOW Triptych sections (3 pieces per player to collect)
Dice or spinner
Setup
Place the game board in the center of the table.
Each player selects a playing piece and places it on the start space.
Each player receives 50 pounds in starting money.
Shuffle the Flyer cards and Vibe cards into separate decks.
Place Energy tablet tokens in a supply.
Determine the starting player.
Turn Structure
On each turn:
Roll/Spin: Determine movement.
Move: Move your piece along the board.
Resolve Space: Follow the instructions of the space landed on, which may involve:
Visiting a club to collect flyers
Drawing a Vibe card
Encountering police patrols
Purchasing energy tablets
Attend a Rave (when ready): Once you have 3 flyers, decide which rave to attend and purchase your ticket.
Actions
Collect Flyers: Visit clubs around the board to pick up flyers for upcoming raves.
Draw Vibe Cards: These cards tell you what is happening and where police are patrolling. They can help or hinder your progress.
Buy Energy Tablets: Spend money to acquire energy tablets needed for dancing at raves.
Attend a Rave: When you have 3 flyers, choose a rave, buy a ticket, and travel to the meeting point to begin dancing.
Dance: At the rave, use your energy tablets to dance and earn sections of the WOW Triptych.
Scoring / Victory Conditions
The first player to collect all 3 sections of the WOW Triptych wins the game.
Triptych sections are earned by successfully attending raves and dancing with sufficient energy tablets.
Special Rules & Edge Cases
Police Patrols: Vibe cards may reveal police activity. Encountering police can result in losing turns, money, or energy tablets.
Money Management: Players must manage their limited funds between flyers, tickets, and energy tablets.
Rave Selection: With 3 flyers, players must choose which rave to attend, as different raves may have different requirements or rewards.
Meeting Points: Players must follow flyer instructions to navigate between meeting points before reaching the rave location.
Controversial Content: The game includes references to 1990s rave culture and was withdrawn from retail due to adult content themes.