Released by Milton Bradley in 1979, Downfall challenged players to beat their opponent in navigating a group of disks down the game grid using a series of wheels.
GAMEPLAY
The five wheels on the grid were set to their starting positions by aligning the arrows on the wheels with those on the grid.
Players loaded in numerical order (one to five) two sets of five disks into the chutes at the top of their side of the grid. The wheels were designed with slots so the disks could drop from wheel to wheel as they were turned by the players. The wheels were connected on each side of the grid but the slots were positioned differently. This resulted in not knowing if a move would aid or impede that of the opponent.
Players could turn only one wheel during their play. The game started with each player taking a turn to load the first disk into the wheel. Players then alternated turning the wheels on the grid as they manoeuvred their disks downward toward the base. Players could turn any of the five wheels except for the one just used by the opponent. The exception to this rule is when the last disks sit in the fifth (bottom) wheel.
A player could win the game in one of two ways. They could be the first to get their disks down the grid and into the tray in the correct numerical order. Players whose disks dropped out in the wrong order immediately lost the game, making their opponent the winner.
In the case of a four-player game, two players formed a team and took turns turning the wheel. A variation to play was also offered for those looking to heighten the challenge: players loaded their opponent’s disks into the chute in a random order but each still needed to get their disks to the tray in the correct order.
IN THE BOX
A complete game included a base (tray), game grid, and 20 tokens (five each of four colours — yellow, red, green, and orange). Instructions were printed inside the box top.
COLLECTOR CONSIDERATIONS
Downfall isn’t difficult to find on the secondary market. Ensure that the wheels on the grid turn before making a purchase as they play a crucial role in the game. It can be challenging to replace missing game components due to the exact fit needed for the disks to move along the chutes and wheels. Incomplete games could be combined to ensure a good fit rather than attempting to find a replacement using something from around the house.
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