- BGG rating
- 7.0
Bausack: Extension Kit
- 2–6 players
- Complexity 1.0/5
- 1994
- BGG rank
- BGG #1,874
- BGG rating
- 6.8
Bandu
1987
Rules assistance for Bandu
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–8 players
- 15–45 min
- 7+
- Complexity 1.3/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for Bandu
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Bandu is a board game released in 1987 for 2–8 players, 15–45 minutes per game, and ages 7 and up. It was designed by Klaus Zoch and its main mechanics are Auction / Bidding and Stacking and Balancing.
Expansions
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About the game
Players take turns choosing blocks and giving them to each other to place on their structure. A player may pay a certain number of 'beans' to refuse a block and it gets passed to the next player. When a player's structure falls, they are out of the game. Last player standing wins. Description of Bandu (1992, Milton Bradley, 2-6 players): Bandu is based upon the game of Bausack. Each player is given a base block and a number of beans. During a turn, a player chooses a wood block from a common supply and either holds a Refuse or Use auction. All player bid with their beans and the winner/loser must place the piece on their tower. If your tower falls you are out of the game. The last tower standing wins. Description of Sac Noir (Rio Grande Games, 2-8 players): There are five variations on how to play. The goal in all of them is to build a tower. The bag contains very different wooden pieces (i.e. an ashlar, an egg, a ring, a fir tree etc.) as well as a sack of beans for the "auction variation" of the game. Depending on the variation you choose, either each player builds his own tower or all build one together. The "auction variations" are the most suspenseful and surprising. One might end up spending quite some beans to avoid building an especially difficult element. Gambling and bluffing abilities are needed just as much as a feeling for statics and construction skills. It's a game with almost endless building possibilities. It's a challenge for steady hands and shaky suspense for clever tacticians.
Categories
Designers
Publishers
- Hasbro
- Milton Bradley
- Giochi Uniti
- Vennerød Forlag AS
- Zoch Verlag
- Competo / Marektoy
- Lord Carter
Questions and answers
Bandu supports 2–8 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 Bandu is 15–45 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 Bandu for ages 7 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.
Bandu 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.
Bandu belongs to these categories: Party Game and Action / Dexterity. Its main mechanics are Auction / Bidding 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 credited designers of Bandu are: Klaus Zoch. 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 Bandu 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.