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In episodes 4 and 5 of _Steins;Gate_ , some of the characters are seen playing
a board game, one of which is at a large tournament-style event. It's played
on a board composed of blue and yellow squares, and seems to have to do with
cards and flipping.

Here are some images of gameplay (sorry about the giant "play" icons):

![enter image description here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/x2ZdS.png) ![enter
image description here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/WzJVz.png) ![enter image
description here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/dbAIB.png)

What is this game called, and are its rules really defined? Does this game
exist in the real world, is it based on one, or is it completely made-up?


CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-02-22T04:59:04.640
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2013-02-22T05:09:40.230
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question
steins-gate
What board game is being played in the early episodes of Steins;Gate?


The game is called "Rai-Net Access Battlers" and [here's a detailed
description of the game and
rules](http://jantakukaigi.g.hatena.ne.jp/jantaku24/20101013/1286961904)
(Japanese). It's a made up game but it's loosely based off of the German game
[Ghosts!](http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/2290/ghosts) from the 80's. The
gameplay is similar. As for it existing in the real world, there seems to be
an official version of this game in the real world, it was [sold at
Comiket](http://ow.ly/i/fc2H).

Reference: [Stein's Gate wiki](http://steins-gate.wikia.com/wiki/Rai-
Net_Access_Battlers). There's a short description of the gameplay in the wiki
that's been translated from the above Japanese link:

> Each player receives 4 Link cards and 4 Virus cards and arranges them as
> he/she wishes in their setup zone. Those Online cards (Link cards and Virus
> cards) all look the same from the face, so only you know and can see the
> alignment of your own Online cards.
[code]

    [A's Stack Area]
    A A A S S A A A (B escapes from A's S)
    . . . A A . . .
    . . . . . . . .
    . . . . . . . .
    . . . B B . . .
    B B B S S B B B (A escapes from B's S)
    [B's Stack Area]
    
[/code]

> (S stands for Server Port)
>
> No card is placed in Server Ports or the Stack Area in the setup phase. Both
> players have 4 Terminal cards in their hand at the beginning of the game.
> Terminal cards from Basic set include LINE BOOST, FIRE WALL, VIRUS CHECKER
> and 404NOT FOUND.
>
> Before starting the game, players, the referee, and the audience are
> encouraged to shout "DUEL ACCESS!".
>
> Alternate turns. On your turn, you must move exactly one of your Online
> cards 1 space forward/backward/sideways (never diagonally). If you land on
> an opposing Online card, you capture it, reveal its Link/Virus alignment and
> move it to your Stack Area. An Online card in one of the opponent's Server
> Ports can use its move to escape the board. Escaped cards are stacked to
> your Stack Area. If an unrevealed Online card escapes, it stays unrevealed
> in the Stack Area until the end of the game.
>
> You can use a Terminal card instead of moving an Online card. In other
> words, you have to consume 1 turn to use a Terminal card.

You win by either:

  * You stack 4 Link cards in your Stack Area, regardless of whether they are your cards or the opponent's cards. 

  * Your opponent stacks 4 Virus cards in their Stack Area, regardless of whether they are your cards or the opponent's cards. 


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answer