
- BGG rank
- BGG #3,943
- BGG rating
- 6.8
Coyote
- 3–6 players
- 15–25 min
- Complexity 1.3/5
- 2020

1990
Rules assistance for 5 Alive
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
For 2 players

What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
5 Alive is a board game released in 1990 for 2–6 players, 30 minutes per game, and ages 7 and up. It was designed by Eàmon Bloomfield and its main mechanics are Hand Management and Player Elimination.
Theme 5 Alive is an abstract card-playing game. Goal Each player starts with 5 lives. The winner is the last player to have any lives left. Gameplay Each player in turn plays a card from their hand. 'Normal' cards have a face value, and the aim is not to play a card that takes the running total above 21. If you do, you lose a life. If you manage to play the last card from your hand without taking the total above 21, then every other player loses a life. As well as 'normal' cards, there is also a variety of 'wild' cards that perform special actions, like resetting the running total, skipping the next player, reversing the direction of play or causing other players to draw extra cards. Components 108 cards & instructions Re-implemented by: Boom-O
5 Alive supports 2–6 players according to the catalogue. This range comes from the publisher’s listed player count, so the game can be set up for any group size within it. Some setups, rules and scoring details may still vary by player count, so check your edition’s rulebook for the exact configuration.
The listed playing time for 5 Alive is 30 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 5 Alive for ages 7 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.
5 Alive has a complexity rating of 1.2 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a 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.
5 Alive belongs to these categories: Card Game and Math. Its main mechanics are Hand Management and Player Elimination. 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 5 Alive are: Eàmon Bloomfield. 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 5 Alive 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.