Prescription, Eh?

by Melissa J. Minnich

Goal: to travel to Canada to buy prescription drugs and then return to your hometown.

Communist Version: all players help one another out in their quests, lending money, items, and advice as necessary, with all players traveling to Canada and returning before a game is considered complete.

Capitalist Version: each for his/her own, the game is considered complete when one player successfully travels to Canada, buys prescription drugs, and returns to his/her hometown – this player is said to win.

Conceptual Version: do what you want, go where you will – if a game continues to provide entertainment, is there ever a wrong way to play?

Materials: game board, player pieces, 2 dice, prescription cards, hotel cards, cost/benefit/interaction cards, travel brochure, Canadian and U.S. currency (for this prototype, I only have 1 currency)

Rules:

  1. Players begin with $500 each.
  2. One player is designated as the banker and will handle all finances throughout the game (this includes unemployment payments, loans, and all C/B/I cards that involve money).
  3. At the beginning of each turn, a player collects his or her unemployment check, the amount of which depends on the metropolis he or she begins from. They are as follows: New York - $10, Chicago - $20, San Francisco - $30, Dallas - $40.
  4. Interaction is a key part of this game, with players being allowed – and in fact encouraged – to buy, sell, and trade resources with one another throughout their journeys. Such interactions can take place at any time.
  5. Two dice are rolled at all times. If doubles are rolled, the player gets to roll again and take an extra turn. However, if doubles are rolled three times, the player must pay a $100 to the bank.
  6. When players arrive at Customs, they must stop, regardless of their number rolled. There, they may exchange currency at the current exchange rate and pay a 20% exchange fee, and then continue on their quest on their next turn.
  7. If a player cannot make a payment for any reason, he or she must borrow from the bank, with the banker keeping a record of any loans.
  8. If a player does not wish to go through Customs, he or she may sneak past the border without stopping via the common route. However, money may not be exchanged and the player may not return to the U.S. through Customs.

Typical Player’s Turn:

  1. 1 collect unemployment from bank
  2. 2 partake in desired transactions, i.e. buying or selling resources, etc.
  3. 3 roll dice and move appropriate number of spaces in any direction
  4. 4 if landing on a common space, pick up C/B/I card and follow instructions; if landing on or passed through a city, pick up a hotel card and pay appropriate rent to bank

The following drugs are available in the following Canadian metropolises: