- BGG rank
- BGG #99
- BGG rating
- 7.7
Azul
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- BGG rating
- 5.0
Archimedes
1981
Rules assistance for Archimedes
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with saved question history.
Rules assistant for Archimedes
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Archimedes is a board game released in 1981 for 2–4 players, 30 minutes per game, and ages 8 and up. It was designed by Ole Jensen.
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About the game
A completely different game from the "Archimedes" published in 1995 by egSpiele. The game is played on an 8x8 board, with each player controlling one King pawn. On your turn, you must move your King (as a normal chess king) and then place a pyramid on the board. Once your King has become completely surrounded by pyramids and cannot move, you are out of the game, unless there are two pyramids of the same color (there are eight pyramids in five different colors) leading out in a straight line from your King, in which case you can move the one closest to your King to anywhere else on the board, and then move your King into the empty space. Oddly, the box this game came in is completely devoid of any extraneous info (including game designer and year of publication), and even the manufacturer's initials are in tiny print with a © symbol, crammed down in the corner of the cover. Even the rules for the game are printed on the back of the box (in English & German) as opposed to being included on a separate sheet inside.
Editions
- ArchimedesenMaison J. Battat
- Archimedes ProfessionalenN.P.T. A/S: Oslo
- ArchimedesitEditrice Giochi1999
- Archimedes ProfessionalN.P.T. A/S: Oslo1981
- ArchimedesdeJensen
Categories
Designers
Publishers
- Editrice Giochi
- Arxon
- Jensen
- N.P.T. A/S: Oslo
- Maison J. Battat
Questions and answers
Archimedes 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 Archimedes is 30 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 Archimedes 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.
Archimedes has a complexity rating of 2.1 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.
Archimedes belongs to these categories: Abstract Strategy. Categories describe the theme, setting and style of a game rather than its rules. Filter the catalogue by the same category to find similar games when you enjoyed Archimedes and want something comparable for your next game night.
The credited designers of Archimedes are: Ole Jensen. 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 Archimedes 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.