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Talat
- 2–3 players
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4th Dimension
1977
Rules assistance for 4th Dimension
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2 players
- 45 min
- 12+
- Complexity 2.0/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for 4th Dimension
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
4th Dimension is a board game released in 1977 for 2 players, 45 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by John A. Ball, Ray Carew, and Keith Warburton and its main mechanics are Grid Movement, Static Capture, and Rock-Paper-Scissors.
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About the game
4th Dimension is a very spacey-looking game with a small circular board divided into sectors each track of which has twice as many spaces as the one closer to the center. Each player get 6 warriors, 3 rangers, 2 guardians, and one time lord. Guardians can capture warriors and rangers; rangers can capture warriors; the time lord can capture rangers and guardians; but the lowly warriors are the only ones who can capture the time lord and win the game. Captures are made by moving next to rather than on top of enemy pieces. Each piece can move only one space at a time but they can also "warp" by leaving the board and leaving a 4-D marker behind. The piece can then stay in the warp zone for up to three turns or warp back onto the board up to two spaces away from the 4-D marker. This game has an inconveniently small gameboard and plastic pieces that look like little futuristic chairs. The game was first published in Games & Puzzles magazine. The designers produced it as a standalone game later the same year, and it was later licensed by TSR.
Categories
Designers
Publishers
- (Self-Published)
- Tactical Studies Rules (TSR)
- Games and Puzzles (magazine)
- J. A. Ball & Co.
Questions and answers
4th Dimension supports 2 players according to the catalogue. This is the publisher’s listed player count, so the game is designed for exactly that number of participants. Variants for other group sizes, if any, are described in the rulebook of your edition, so check it before setting up a different configuration.
The listed playing time for 4th Dimension is 45 minutes. This is the publisher’s estimate for a full game. The actual duration depends on the group, the player count and familiarity with the rules: first sessions usually run longer, while experienced groups often finish faster. Setup and teaching time are not included in this estimate.
The catalogue lists 4th Dimension for ages 12 and up. This is the publisher’s recommendation and reflects reading demands, rule complexity and small components rather than theme alone. Younger players can often join with help from an adult, so check the age guidance on your edition and consider your group’s experience with board games.
4th Dimension has a complexity rating of 2.0 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-light game. The rating reflects how much rules knowledge, planning and decision-making a typical game demands. Expect a longer first teach for heavier games, and use a preparation guide before game night.
4th Dimension belongs to these categories: Abstract Strategy and Science Fiction. Its main mechanics are Grid Movement, Static Capture, and Rock-Paper-Scissors. Categories describe the theme and setting of a game, while mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you want something comparable.
The credited designers of 4th Dimension are: John A. Ball, Ray Carew, and Keith Warburton. These credits come from the published game data and name the people responsible for the game’s design, not its illustrators or publishers. Designer pages on MeepleRules collect other titles by the same designers, which helps when you enjoy a game and want to find similar ones.
The catalogue lists 4th Dimension as a base game. It can be played on its own with the components in the box and does not require any other title. Expansions, if any exist, add new content or rules on top of it and are listed separately in the catalogue with a link back to this base game.