- BGG rank
- BGG #22,522
- BGG rating
- 6.5
Pawn Stop
- 2 players
- 5 min
- 2017
- BGG rank
- BGG #21,506
- BGG rating
- 6.4
Animal Circus
2019
Rules assistance for Animal Circus
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–5 players
- 30–40 min
- 8+
- Complexity 1.5/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for Animal Circus
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Animal Circus is a board game released in 2019 for 2–5 players, 30–40 minutes per game, and ages 8 and up. It was designed by Arvid Klaverstijn and its main mechanics are Hand Management.
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About the game
The incredible Animal Circus is coming to your home! The animal artists are trained and ready to show you the greatest tricks ever performed. But make sure you only send artists to the ring who will be able to outperform the previous one. Because if you don't, the previous artist will take all the glory! Animal Circus is a family card game where every player has the same deck of 22 animal cards. Each animal has a value and a unique special ability. On your turn you draw a new card from your personal draw pile and afterwards you pick a card you want to add to the ring. You have to try to play a card with a higher value as the previously played card or the previous player will win all the cards that are present in the ring. When you played the card you must execute the ability on the card. This ability could have an immediate effect (for example transferring cards from your draw pile to your pile with won cards), a conditional effect (for example you win the cards in the ring if the card on top of you Win pile is 16 or higher) or a rule change (for example, the next player must play the card he draws in the beginning of his turn). As soon as one of the players wins the cards in the ring and there is a player with an empty draw pile the game is over and the player who collected the most points wins (each card is worth 1 point with the exception of a few cards that are worth 3 and -3 points.
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Publishers
- Korea Boardgames
- Jumping Turtle Games
Questions and answers
Animal Circus supports 2–5 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 Animal Circus is 30–40 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 Animal Circus for ages 8 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.
Animal Circus 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.
Animal Circus belongs to these categories: Card Game, Animals, and Party Game. Its main mechanics are Hand Management. 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 Animal Circus are: Arvid Klaverstijn. 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 Animal Circus 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.