Coaster of Life

Coaster of Life (also known as "Head for the Hills" or "Mount Olympus") is a popular drinking game at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. The game was developed as an alternative to the game Circle of Death. Requirements of the game include: between two and seven players, a deck of cards, three coasters (Nintendo 64 games work as well), and your favorite beverage.

Origins of the game

The origins of the game are somewhat convoluted, but the consensus and the publicly accepted version of the story states that the development of the game occurred in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin. As many college students returned home over the Christmas break, reunion parties were widespread. At one of these gatherings at Simon Rabas' home, John Parent proposed his new game, which was an alternative to what was currently being played, Circle of Death. With no actual game in mind, Parent was handed the deck of cards. Parent then laid down the cards in the "Starfish" pattern that is synonymous with Coaster of Life, simply to buy time to think of the game play. While thinking of the rules by the seat of his pants, Parent developed what would be one of the fastest growing games in 2010.

Game set-up

The players sit in a circle around a table or carpet. In the center of the table, three coasters are stacked on top of each other. One of the players is selected as the dealer. The dealer then gives every player five cards face down in a line, with the fifth card touch the base of the coasters (in the center of the table). The dealer then places one card for every player between the bottom and middle coasters. The dealer then does the same between the middle and the top coasters. The formation of the cards and the coasters is called the "HaLo." Finally, the dealer places a final card on top of the third coaster and therefore "tops the mountain."

Game play

The object is to move from level 1 to level 5, into the halo, and finally to scale the mountain by guessing the final card, which rests atop the stack of three coasters. In order to move, players must select "higher" or "lower" than their most recently unvailed card. To start, all players reveal their bottom (or level 1) card. The player with the highest card starts the game off by stating to the other players either "higher" or "lower" than the card they just turned over. If he or she is correct, then they are awarded level 2 status and they will now play off of the card just unveiled. However, If incorrect (ties included), the player must discard and replaces (face down) both cards and take the corresponding number of drinks to the number of cards discarded. Going clockwise, the next person states his/her choice of higher or lower. Once the play has gone around the table, the first player will state once again either higher or lower. However, when a player is on "ground level" (levels 1-5), he/she also has the option of "freezing." When a player freezes, he/she skips his/her turn. But, when the play returns after going around the table, the player is awarded a new card from the deck. Also, the level a person freezes at is the farthest he/she can ever regress to. Freezing is an investment by giving up one's turn, but also guarantees the player that he/she will never fall lower than the level where they last froze. The freeze card that was dealt to them (to change the original), stays the card to play off of in case of any incorrect answers from that level on. Once a player reaches level 5, his/her next move is into the halo. Freezing is not allowed once inside the halo, and thus a popular play is to freeze at level 5, because it is the last opportunity to do so. Each player has their own card for the first rounds of the halo, but the final card that rests atop the coasters is a community card and is the last card for all of the players. Once again, any incorrect answer means a player goes back to the last place which the froze or the beginning at level 1. A player is to indicate a freeze by moving the highest level card that is correct by sliding it to the right of the line, so all players can see the level at which he/she is frozen at. The first player who moves from level 1 to level 5, into and through the halo, and finally scales the mountain is the winner. The player who is closest to the top of the mountain is considered the runner-up and so on to last place. All ties are broken by one game of Rock-Paper-Scissors. The players then form a drinking waterfall 1, with the winner on top, the runner-up second, and so on to the last place player on the bottom. All cards are then gathered, shuffled, and redealt.

Coaster of Life vocabulary

Ground Level- Pertaining to levels 1-5.
Halo-The 2 rounds after level 5, indicated by the coasters and change in elevation. No freezing is allowed in the Halo.
Starfish-The setup formation of Coaster of Life.
Freezing-A player's move that results in a loss of turn, but also an acquisition of an ice card. Freezing is only allowed on ground level.
Ice Card-The card that is given to a player after he/she freezes. The ice card signifies the farthest a player can fall on an incorrect answer and should be indicated by being placed offset of the line that forms levels 1-5.
Driver's Seat-A player is said to be in the "Driver's Seat" when they are closest to topping the mountain and will not lose without answering an incorrect answer or freezing.
Topping the Mountain-Winning the game by correctly guessing the last card which rests on top of the halo.

The Coaster of Life Committee

Coaster of Life has a governing body known as The Committee. The Committee maintains the integrity of the game through rule modification, Hall of Fame inducting, and spreading the word of the beloved game at all social functions. The Committee members:

• John Parent- Founder, President
• Thomas Dubois- Tournament Director
• Thomas "T.J." Gruman- Director of Player Personnel, Hall of Fame Class of 2010.
• Kevin "Larry" Hynes- Marketing Director

References

Janke, Michael. "Trying to Reach the Top." The Oz High Times. 1/14/10
Larsen, Patrick. "Creativity Never Seizing in the Door" The Blugolder. 2/6/10