- BGG rank
- BGG #3,975
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Aliens
- 1–9 players
- 90 min
- Complexity 2.2/5
- 1989
- BGG rank
- BGG #24,664
- BGG rating
- 5.8
Army of Darkness
1993
Rules assistance for Army of Darkness
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 1–8 players
- 120 min
- 12+
- Complexity 1.4/5
Rules assistant for Army of Darkness
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Army of Darkness is a board game released in 1993 for 1–8 players, 120 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Barry Nakazono and David McKenzie and its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers and Cooperative Game.
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About the game
Army of Darkness recreates the battle for Arthur's Castle at the end of the film, as the Deadites swarm over the walls in their attempt to capture the Book of the Dead. The players take the roles of some of the important characters from the film (Ash, Henry, etc.) and try to defeat Evil Ash and his horde of Deadites. The game can be played cooperatively where the evil forces are controlled by predetermined objectives, or instead one of the players can control all of the evil forces. Game play consists of players searching the castle for allies and equipment they can use to fight the Deadites (flaming arrows, explosives, etc.) and the actual combating of the evil army. Players win if they defeat the four evil champions. Evil wins if Evil Ash gets the Book of the Dead out of the castle or if the Deadite army kills all of the players.
Designers
Publishers
- Leading Edge Games
Questions and answers
Army of Darkness supports 1–8 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 Army of Darkness is 120 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 Army of Darkness for ages 12 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.
Army of Darkness has a complexity rating of 1.4 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.
Army of Darkness belongs to these categories: Fantasy, Fighting, and Print & Play. Its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers and Cooperative Game. 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 Army of Darkness are: Barry Nakazono and David McKenzie. 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 Army of Darkness 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.