Categories
As characters take action, they roll dice and place the die rolls into three categories. Low rolls are bad, while high rolls are good. Commands provide bonuses to the rolls in these categories, while Challenges
Battle - This category represents destroying and evading monsters. A 1-2 in this category means you lose a Life or a Power Up, while a 6 means you gain a Power Up. You gain your roll x 100 points each round, even if you lose a Life.
Platform - This category represents moving from platform to platform, making progress and avoiding pitfalls. A 1 in this category means you lose a Life outright (even with Power Ups), a 2-3 means you take -1 to your Stage roll, while a 6 means you gain +1 to your Battle and Stage rolls.
Stage - This category represents progress to the end of the stage. A 1-2 in this category means you take a -1 to your Battle and Platform rolls, while a 6 means you reach the next goal, whether that be the end of the stage, a checkpoint, or a particular treasure you were after.
Commands
Characters act using commands, which represent the inherent abilities of a character. Each level of a Command gives +1 to rolls in the appropriate category. You get 2 points for their Commands, and may increase them later at certain Score levels.
Attack - This trait applies to the Battle category. Countered by the Monsters challenge.
Jump - This trait applies to the Platform category. Countered by the Pitfalls challenge.
Run - This trait applies to the Stage category. Countered by the Long challenge.
Counters
Some things aren't about skill, but rather about accumulation. These traits aren't rolled so much as acquired.
Lives - How much damage you can take before dying. Defaults to 3. You can only lose 1 Life at a time.
Bombs - Some characters can get bombs, which are stored and grant a +2 bonus to Battle at will. You can have up to three Bombs at a time, but start with 0.
Score - How many points you have gained. Reaching certain point levels grants new abilities. Each round, your Score increases by your Battle, Platform, and Stage ratings multiplied by 100. That's (Battle + Platform + Stage) * 100. Every 10,000 points gets you a +1 to one of your Commands, or an extra Life.
Power Ups
Sometimes a character's existing abilities just aren't enough. Power Ups are what allow characters to exceed their normal limitations, either enhancing their Commands or Scores, or granting new powers entirely. Power Ups are temporary, which makes up for them being so useful. You gain a Power Up whenever you roll a 6 in Battle. Power Ups also act as a buffer for damage, and taking damage (rolling low in Battle) causes you to lose your Power Ups before losing Lives.
When you get a Power Up, roll 1d6. A 1-3 nets you your choice of Attack Up, Jump Up, or Speed Up. A 4-5 nets you Bombs Up or Bonus Points. A 6 nets you a One Up.
Attack Up - +1 to Attack
Jump Up - +1 to Jump
Speed Up - +1 to Run
One Up - +1 Life
Bombs Up - +1 Bomb
Bonus Points - +1000 Points