Crossroll Hong Kong X Animal Inc
- 2–4 players
- 30–60 min
- 2021
- BGG rank
- BGG #24,544
- BGG rating
- 6.2
Animal Inc
2019
Rules assistance for Animal Inc
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–4 players
- 20–60 min
- 8+
For 2 players
Rules assistant for Animal Inc
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Animal Inc is a board game released in 2019 for 2–4 players, 20–60 minutes per game, and ages 8 and up. It was designed by Princeton Wong and its main mechanics are Hand Management and Open Drafting.
Expansions
Similar games
- BGG rank
- BGG #16,372
- BGG rating
- 6.9
Hatairo
- 2–4 players
- 30–60 min
- Complexity 2.0/5
- 2020
- BGG rank
- BGG #15,180
- BGG rating
- 7.2
Crossroll Hong Kong
- 1–4 players
- 20–40 min
- Complexity 2.0/5
- 2019
- BGG rank
- BGG #2
- BGG rating
- 8.5
Ark Nova
- 1–4 players
- 90–150 min
- Complexity 3.8/5
- 2021
- BGG rank
- BGG #18
- BGG rating
- 8.4
The Lord of the Rings: Duel for Middle-earth
- 2 players
- 30 min
- Complexity 2.1/5
- 2024
- BGG rank
- BGG #30
- BGG rating
- 8.1
Lost Ruins of Arnak
- 1–4 players
- 30–120 min
- Complexity 2.9/5
- 2020
- BGG rank
- BGG #38
- BGG rating
- 8.0
Wingspan
- 1–5 players
- 40–70 min
- Complexity 2.5/5
- 2019
- BGG rank
- BGG #47
- BGG rating
- 8.0
Everdell
- 1–4 players
- 40–80 min
- Complexity 2.8/5
- 2018
- BGG rank
- BGG #109
- BGG rating
- 7.9
Aeon's End
- 1–4 players
- 60 min
- Complexity 2.8/5
- 2016
- BGG rank
- BGG #123
- BGG rating
- 7.9
Wyrmspan
- 1–5 players
- 90 min
- Complexity 2.8/5
- 2024
- BGG rank
- BGG #136
- BGG rating
- 7.7
Dominion: Intrigue
- 2–6 players
- 30 min
- Complexity 2.4/5
- 2009
- BGG rank
- BGG #146
- BGG rating
- 7.6
Dominion
- 2–4 players
- 30 min
- Complexity 2.3/5
- 2008
- BGG rank
- BGG #150
- BGG rating
- 7.7
Forest Shuffle
- 2–5 players
- 40–60 min
- Complexity 2.2/5
- 2023
About the game
The rules for Animal Inc describe it as an "unusual semi-cooperative hand management game". The game consists of 36 cards in 5 suits, with numbers ranging from 0 to 12, and each suit has a unique distribution. For instance, all grey cards are 6's, and green cards are numbered 3-9. Cards are dealt out evenly, with each player then choosing a few cards to discard. The players are adding cards in a pyramid structure that is 8 cards wide on the bottom. To play a card on the bottom row, a player simply plays it next to a previously played card. To play a card on a higher row, it must be supported by 2 cards, and at least 1 must be the same color as the card being played. The game ends when all players are out of cards, or no player may legally play another card. If the pyramid reached the 5th tier (4 cards wide), then the last player scores positive points equal to the sum of the values shown on all cards in the 5th tier and above; all other players lose points equal to their single highest card. However, if the pyramid does not reach the 5th tier, the last player loses points equal to their single highest card, and all other players gain points equal to their single highest card. The player with the most points after a number of rounds wins. —user summary
Categories
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- NightDreamer
Questions and answers
Animal Inc 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 Animal Inc is 20–60 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 Animal Inc 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 Inc belongs to these categories: Card Game. Its main mechanics are Hand Management and Open Drafting. 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 Inc are: Princeton Wong. 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 Inc 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.