- BGG rating
- 7.3
Big Monster: Big Mama
- 2–6 players
- 20–30 min
- 2022
- BGG rank
- BGG #5,223
- BGG rating
- 6.8
Big Monster
2018
Rules assistance for Big Monster
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–6 players
- 20–30 min
- 10+
- Complexity 2.0/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for Big Monster
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Big Monster is a board game released in 2018 for 2–6 players, 20–30 minutes per game, and ages 10 and up. It was designed by Dimitri Perrier and its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Set Collection, and Simultaneous Action Selection.
Expansions
- BGG rating
- 8.0
Big Monster: Giraffe
- 2–6 players
- 20–30 min
- 2022
- BGG rating
- 8.0
Big Monster: Ice Expansion
- 2–6 players
- 20–30 min
- 2022
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About the game
You are an explorer who has been traveling through space, looking for new planets for the Federation, and you have just discovered one not yet indexed! This is an opportunity to identify new creatures, discover rare resources, and fulfill intergalactic missions. This is the challenge you are facing: Earn the most victory points in order to make your exploration successful! Big Monster is a "smart drafting" and tile-laying game that's played in two rounds. On a turn, each player (simultaneously) chooses a tile from their hand, places it face down in front of them, then immediately gives their remaining tiles to another player of their choice who hasn't already been given tiles. That is what's defined as "smart drafting". At the end of the game, each player owns 18 tiles in their exploration space. You earn victory points by finding monsters, completing crystals, and achieving missions. The player with most victory points at the end of the second round wins. Big Monster can also be played in teams, and when doing so, the score of each team is the score of the team member with the fewest victory points. Big Monster is also a two players game, and when doing so, you do not use "smart draft". There is a special rule for 2 players.
Categories
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- Lifestyle Boardgames Ltd
- Skellig Games
- BoardBros
- Explor8
- Opa! Games
Questions and answers
Big Monster 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 Big Monster 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 Big Monster for ages 10 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.
Big Monster has a complexity rating of 2.0 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.
Big Monster belongs to these categories: Card Game and Science Fiction. Its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Set Collection, and Simultaneous Action Selection. 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 Big Monster are: Dimitri Perrier. 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 Big Monster 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.