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Nekojima
- 1–5 players
- 15–30 min
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- 2023
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- BGG rating
- 5.4
Arch Rival
1992
Rules assistance for Arch Rival
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–99 players
- 20 min
- 8+
- Complexity 1.3/5
Rules assistant for Arch Rival
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Arch Rival is a board game released in 1992 for 2–99 players, 20 minutes per game, and ages 8 and up. Its main mechanics are Single Loser Game and Stacking and Balancing.
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About the game
Arch Rival is a dexterity construction game in much the same vein as Bamboleo. Prior to gameplay, players create an arch that is balanced on a rocking base. First, two arch construction supports are placed on the base. Then thirteen color-coded cube compartments are placed on top of the supports to create an arch. The supports are then removed, so that the compartments support each other in a free-standing arch. Players attempt to place 50 playing pieces of various colors and shapes into the color-coded compartments, without knocking the arch over. On a player's turn, they roll the two dice--one of which tells how many pieces they must place, and the second die tells the color of the compartment into which the pieces must be placed. When 'Arch Rival' is rolled on the color die, one of the player's opponents is allowed to select the color of the required compartment. Players continue placing pieces in turn, until the point where arch can no longer support itself and collapses. The player who causes this to happen loses the game.
Categories
Publishers
- Parker Brothers
- Hasbro
Questions and answers
Arch Rival supports 2–99 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 Arch Rival is 20 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 Arch Rival 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.
Arch Rival has a complexity rating of 1.3 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.
Arch Rival belongs to these categories: Party Game and Action / Dexterity. Its main mechanics are Single Loser Game and Stacking and Balancing. 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 catalogue lists Arch Rival 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.