Awimbawé: Extension
- 3–4 players
- 20–30 min
- 2021
- BGG rank
- BGG #10,664
- BGG rating
- 6.5
Awimbawé
2022
Rules assistance for Awimbawé
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 20–30 min
- 8+
- Complexity 1.4/5
Rules assistant for Awimbawé
For 2 players
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Awimbawé is a board game released in 2022 for 2 players, 20–30 minutes per game, and ages 8 and up. It was designed by Mathieu Roussel and its main mechanics are Hand Management and Trick-taking.
Expansions
Similar games
- BGG rank
- BGG #468
- BGG rating
- 8.0
Zenith
- 2–4 players
- 25–35 min
- Complexity 2.3/5
- 2025
- BGG rank
- BGG #203
- BGG rating
- 7.7
Castle Combo
- 2–5 players
- 10–25 min
- Complexity 1.7/5
- 2024
- BGG rank
- BGG #6,518
- BGG rating
- 6.7
Kameloot
- 3–6 players
- 20–25 min
- Complexity 1.3/5
- 2021
- BGG rank
- BGG #384
- BGG rating
- 7.4
Cat in the Box: Deluxe Edition
- 2–5 players
- 20–40 min
- Complexity 2.1/5
- 2022
- BGG rank
- BGG #698
- BGG rating
- 7.1
The Fox in the Forest
- 2 players
- 30 min
- Complexity 1.6/5
- 2017
- BGG rank
- BGG #1,516
- BGG rating
- 7.0
The Fox in the Forest Duet
- 2 players
- 30 min
- Complexity 1.8/5
- 2020
- BGG rank
- BGG #2,200
- BGG rating
- 6.8
Nyet!
- 2–5 players
- 60 min
- Complexity 1.9/5
- 1997
- BGG rank
- BGG #4,803
- BGG rating
- 7.7
Colossal Cat in the Box
- 2–5 players
- 20–40 min
- Complexity 2.2/5
- 2024
- BGG rank
- BGG #5,279
- BGG rating
- 7.0
Three-Dragon Ante: Legendary Edition
- 2–6 players
- 30 min
- Complexity 2.0/5
- 2019
- BGG rank
- BGG #8,277
- BGG rating
- 6.4
Pumafiosi
- 2–5 players
- 10–30 min
- Complexity 1.4/5
- 2022
- BGG rank
- BGG #8,597
- BGG rating
- 6.9
Pups
- 2–5 players
- 15–30 min
- Complexity 1.6/5
- 2016
- BGG rank
- BGG #8,833
- BGG rating
- 7.2
Short Zoot Suit
- 2–4 players
- 15–25 min
- Complexity 2.0/5
- 2023
About the game
The king is dead. Who will succeed him... The two-player trick-taking game Awimbawé presents a duel for the throne of the animal kingdom, with each player trying to use the animals of the savannah to win more crowns than their rival while avoiding the pack of hyenas. Win two rounds to become the new king or queen of the savannah. The card deck consists of 28 cards: 24 animal cards numbered 1-6 in four suits, and four eagle cards in a fifth suit. Shuffle the deck, then deal four cards separately face down to each player, then deal four cards face up on top of these cards (to create four piles of two cards), then split the remaining cards so that each player has a hand of six cards. On a turn as the lead player, you can play any of your available cards, whether one in your hand or one face up on the table. The opponent must then play a card of the same suit, if possible. If they can't, they must play an eagle — and if they can't play an eagle, they can play anything. If the two cards played are of the same suit, the higher card wins. If the opponent played an eagle, they can make it flee (placing it in their own scoring pile and ceding the trick) or they can make it fight, winning the trick. If the opponent played off suit, the lead player wins the trick, collects the cards, and leads again. At the end of a trick, if you have a face-down card on top of a pile, reveal this card, making it available for play. The round ends when either a player collects their fourth hyena (losing the round immediately) or all cards have been played. In the latter case, count the crowns on collected cards to see who has the higher score. The first player to win two rounds wins the game.
Editions
- AwimbawéenExplor82022
- AwimbawéfrGame Factory2023
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- Game Factory
- Explor8
Questions and answers
Awimbawé supports 2 players according to the catalogue. This is the publisher’s listed player count, so the game is designed for exactly that number of participants. Variants for other group sizes, if any, are described in the rulebook of your edition, so check it before setting up a different configuration.
The listed playing time for Awimbawé is 20–30 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 Awimbawé 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.
Awimbawé 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.
Awimbawé belongs to these categories: Card Game and Animals. Its main mechanics are Hand Management and Trick-taking. 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 Awimbawé are: Mathieu Roussel. 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 Awimbawé 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.