- BGG rank
- BGG #3,880
- BGG rating
- 6.3
Pairs
- 2–8 players
- 15 min
- Complexity 1.1/5
- 2014
- BGG rank
- BGG #30,584
- BGG rating
- 5.4
Before I Kill You, Mister Spy...
1996
Rules assistance for Before I Kill You, Mister Spy...
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–6 players
- 30 min
- 12+
- Complexity 1.3/5
Rules assistant for Before I Kill You, Mister Spy...
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Before I Kill You, Mister Spy... is a board game released in 1996 for 2–6 players, 30 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by James Ernest and its main mechanics are Push Your Luck.
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About the game
Before I Kill You, Mr. Bond is a silly, stupid game straight from the Cheapass Games playbook. In it, players take on the role of villains building their remote fortresses and capturing secret agents. When one is captured, he can be killed right away, but what's the fun in that? The real points come when you slowly reveal your secret plan to him — or leave him to be eaten by sharks. Of course, that's where the risk is, too, and the longer you postpone the kill, the greater the likelihood that another player will produce a card that allows the agent to escape and destroy your fortress. Reissued in color in 2004 as James Ernest's Totally Renamed Spy Game (with many more cards), then reissued again in 2016 as Before I Kill You, Mister Spy...
Categories
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- Cheapass Games
Questions and answers
Before I Kill You, Mister Spy... supports 2–6 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 Before I Kill You, Mister Spy... 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 Before I Kill You, Mister Spy... 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.
Before I Kill You, Mister Spy... 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.
Before I Kill You, Mister Spy... belongs to these categories: Card Game and Spies / Secret Agents. Its main mechanics are Push Your Luck. 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 Before I Kill You, Mister Spy... are: James Ernest. 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 Before I Kill You, Mister Spy... 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.