Rule card
Giant tumble tower rules and house rules
The rules fit on a napkin: take a block from below, put it on top, don't make the tower fall. The fun is in the house rules — and every ApudArmis giant tumble tower set comes with a die and most with a scoreboard for exactly that.
On this card
- Building the tower
- The basic rules
- Dice and scoreboard house rules
- How high can you go?
- Choosing a set for your family
Building the tower
Stack the blocks in rows of three, each row crossed over the row below, until all the blocks are used: 18 rows for a 54-piece set, 20 rows for a 60-piece set. Square up the sides with your hands before the first move.
Build on level ground. On grass, a square of plywood under the base keeps the tower from leaning as the game goes on.
The basic rules
- Take one block from any row below the top completed row.
- Use one hand at a time; you may tap a block to test it.
- Place the block on top to build a new row, crossing the row below.
- Your turn ends when the tower stands for a count of three after your placement.
Whoever makes the tower fall loses the round — and builds the next tower.
Dice and scoreboard house rules
Roll the die before each move: the number tells you which row, counted from the bottom, you must pull from. It turns the late game into real tension.
Use the scoreboard to keep a tally across several games, or write a short dare or question on a few blocks with the marker. Whoever pulls a marked block reads it out before placing it.
How high can you go?
The 54-piece giant tumble tower starts at 2 ft and climbs past 4.2 ft. Our 60-piece giant towers reach about 5 ft, and the XL blocks around 5.2 ft. In practice, a good game ends a few rows below the maximum height — the last rows are where the crash happens.
Choosing a set for your family
Block size decides how the game is played. Smaller 4.75 inch blocks suit a table and younger family members; 6 inch blocks give the classic giant feel outdoors; the heavy 7.48 inch XL blocks make the biggest tower and the loudest fall. All are solid pine wood with sanded edges, and every set comes with a carry bag so you can transport it to the next party.
If the tower will live outside on a lot of summer evenings, the stained and gray finishes hide grass marks well and give the set a looks-like-new appearance for years. If you prefer the natural look of pine, the raw finish shows the grain of the wood.
