- BGG rank
- BGG #7,287
- BGG rating
- 6.3
Conspiracy
- 3–4 players
- 90 min
- Complexity 1.9/5
- 1973
- BGG rank
- BGG #13,409
- BGG rating
- 5.9
Alaska
1979
Rules assistance for Alaska
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–4 players
- 60 min
- 12+
- Complexity 1.5/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for Alaska
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Alaska is a board game released in 1979 for 2–4 players, 60 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Eric Solomon and its main mechanics are Tile Placement and Pick-up and Deliver.
Similar games
- BGG rank
- BGG #9,201
- BGG rating
- 6.6
Conspiracy: The Solomon Gambit
- 2–4 players
- 30–60 min
- Complexity 2.2/5
- 2019
- BGG rank
- BGG #21,807
- BGG rating
- 6.0
Spellmaker
- 2–4 players
- 45 min
- Complexity 1.8/5
- 1978
- BGG rank
- BGG #27,564
- BGG rating
- 5.4
Die Jagd nach dem Gral
- 2–8 players
- 60 min
- Complexity 1.9/5
- 2007
- BGG rank
- BGG #8,778
- BGG rating
- 6.9
Hyle
- 2 players
- 45 min
- Complexity 2.8/5
- 1979
- BGG rank
- BGG #3,937
- BGG rating
- 6.8
Billabong
- 2–4 players
- 30 min
- Complexity 1.9/5
- 1992
- BGG rank
- BGG #5,595
- BGG rating
- 6.4
Black Box
- 1–2 players
- 20 min
- Complexity 2.1/5
- 1977
- BGG rank
- BGG #9,296
- BGG rating
- 7.2
Black Box +
- 2 players
- 15 min
- Complexity 2.3/5
- 2007
- BGG rank
- BGG #14,215
- BGG rating
- 6.9
Eric Solomon's Corporation
- 1–4 players
- 30 min
- Complexity 2.8/5
- 2009
- BGG rank
- BGG #137
- BGG rating
- 7.7
Keyflower
- 2–6 players
- 90–120 min
- Complexity 3.3/5
- 2012
- BGG rank
- BGG #139
- BGG rating
- 7.9
Age of Steam
- 1–6 players
- 120 min
- Complexity 3.9/5
- 2002
- BGG rank
- BGG #199
- BGG rating
- 7.9
Xia: Legends of a Drift System
- 3–5 players
- 60–180 min
- Complexity 3.2/5
- 2014
About the game
Players compete to collect their container blocks from a central island and return them across the ice sheet to their respective camps before the Spring thaw. The game runs in two parts; Winter as the players lay ice tiles across the hex board to the central island, and Spring as the thaw allows the players to remove ice tiles. In your turn, you draw from deck 1 which shows a 1,2 or 3 hex tile and a number on the winter/spring header/footer. After placing the tile in the hex-board, you then draw an action card from deck 2. Most are played immediately (Polar Bear, Frostbite, Found Container) but others you can save and use later (Robbery, Fog, Helicopter). Then the player can move their truck up to free places. A 3-hex ice tile counts as one space, so a player with a shorter route may profit early, but when the thaw comes, the other players can quickly remove the shortcut. The Polar Bear acts as a barrier and is often moved around. The other action cards can be beneficial (Found Container means you simply put a container in your truck where you are) or hinder you (Frostbite means you must drop the container and your truck jumps to your camp). Players can only rob dropped containers, not other trucks. The Spring thaw only comes when all the ice tiles that can be placed are down. You keep using deck 1, but simply read the alternative symbol for the thaw. There are fewer thaws, so the ice sheet stays active for some time, forcing players to make longer detours. You cannot remove an ice tile if it holds a truck or the bear, and tiles with dropped containers only go last. The game sort of stops when no containers can be collected, but since Helicopter action cards allow you to jump from place to place, the actual end-point is not precise.
Categories
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- Grow Jogos e Brinquedos
- Otto Maier Verlag
- Το Καλό Παιχνίδι Α.Ε.
- Educa Sallent SA
Questions and answers
Alaska supports 2–4 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 Alaska is 60 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 Alaska 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.
Alaska has a complexity rating of 1.5 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.
Alaska belongs to these categories: Transportation. Its main mechanics are Tile Placement and Pick-up and Deliver. 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 Alaska are: Eric Solomon. 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 Alaska 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.