This is a simple game of destruction for two players. The goal of the game is to wipe the other player out! Although it is a game of strategy, it has no known socially redeeming features. However, for those who like the intellectual challenge, it can be fun.
The two players, one RED the other BLUE, alternate in placing their tokens or pieces on the playing field. The rules are simple: you can place your token on a free cell, or one already populated by your tokens, but no one that has the other player's tokens in it. The cell's contents are indicated by the color (indicating whose tokens) and a number (indicating how many tokens). You win whenever your oponent has no tokens remaining in play (except of course during the first round).
Each cell on the 10 by 10 playing field has a critical mass: this is the number of tokens it can contain before it explodes. The critical mass is determined by the total number of orthogonal neighbors it has. So a cell in the center has a critical mass of 4, a cell in any corner 2 and cells along the edges (but not in a corner) have a critical mass of 3.
When a cell explodes, things become interesting. The explosion places tokens into each adjacent orthogonal cell. In so doing, it acquires any tokens in those cells. All the orthogonal cells adjacent to the exploding cell automatically become the property of the player who caused the explosion. For example, assume that Blue has placed a token into one of his/her cells and an explosion ensues. Also assume that immediately to the right is a cell containing one of Red's tokens. When Blue's cell explodes, it adds one token into what had been Red's cell and takes it over. So what had been Red's cell containing one token now becomes Blue's cell containing 2 tokens (one from the nuclear reaction and the one taken over from Red). The name of the game, nuclear reaction, comes from the fact that one explosion can cause another: in the previous example, if Red's cell in question happenned to be in either right-hand corner, the 2 tokens wouls cause that cell to explode as well. In fact, it should be easy to see how a chain of explosions can ensue!
Players take turns; the game keeps track whose turn is next and so indicates. A player may place his/her tokens in any free cell or one containing his/her tokens alsready. This can be done in one of three ways:
1. Click the left mouse button in the desired cell
2. Type in the coordinates of the cell. First the letter indicating the column then the number indication the row: e.g. B3 or D8. (Capitalization is ignored so 'A' and 'a' are treated the same).
3. Use the keyboard arrow keys to select the cell and then strike the return key to place the token
Since the game is played on one computer, a suggested method allows one player to utilize the mouse, while the other uses the keyboard.
Obviously, to win, you must take over all of the other players pieces. But it is really a game of strategy: do you place your tokens next to the opponents (higher-risk and faster-paced play) or do you try to create some elaborate (or even simple) trap for your opponent? How many moves ahaed can you see? Do you want to play agressively (go for the win) or defensively (avoid getting wiped out and hope for a mistake from your opponent).
The game gets exponentially more dynamic and explosive (pun intended) as the number of pieces increases. Game status is indicated on the bottom showing hom many pieces each player has. However, the count may be very deceiving: a single move can easily cause 200 explosions and change the complexion of the game suddenly if not even end it!
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