
- BGG rank
- BGG #4,368
- BGG rating
- 6.5
Masques
- 2–4 players
- 45 min
- Complexity 2.0/5
- 2010

2015
Rules assistance for Antarctica
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.
Antarctica is a board game released in 2015 for 2–4 players, 45–90 minutes per game, and ages 10 and up. It was designed by Charles Chevallier and its main mechanics are Area Movement and Area Majority / Influence.
In a distant time – so far in the future that either global warming or technical progress is so advanced that windmills are going swimmingly in the antarctic climate – the rising sea level and increased resource consumption has driven mankind to increase investment in polar research. The Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research sees an increasingly creative interpretation of the Antarctic Treaty System. Your objective in Antarctica is to develop research centers in Antarctica and to mine resources – for research purposes only, of course. The sun orbits Antarctica counter-clockwise, and each ship it thaws moves on for scientific progress. At the end of the game, victory points for all kinds of majorities are granted. Will your consort be the one that gained a fortune ... er, has done most to rescue mankind? Turn order is determined by the sun. Whenever it shines on one of your ships, you may erect buildings, recruit new scientists, build more ships, or do scientific research. The game ends when all buildings have been erected, or when one player has placed his last scientist.
Antarctica 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 Antarctica is 45–90 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 Antarctica for ages 10 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.
Antarctica has a complexity rating of 2.8 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.
The main mechanics of Antarctica are Area Movement and Area Majority / Influence. Mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns, such as rolling dice, drafting cards or placing workers. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you enjoyed Antarctica and want something comparable.
The credited designers of Antarctica are: Charles Chevallier. 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 Antarctica 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.