- BGG rank
- BGG #2,544
- BGG rating
- 6.6
FITS
- 1–4 players
- 45 min
- Complexity 1.4/5
- 2009
- BGG rank
- BGG #7,476
- BGG rating
- 6.4
BITS
2011
Rules assistance for BITS
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 1–4 players
- 30–45 min
- 8+
- Complexity 1.5/5
For 1 player
Rules assistant for BITS
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
BITS is a board game released in 2011 for 1–4 players, 30–45 minutes per game, and ages 8 and up. It was designed by Reiner Knizia and its main mechanics are Tile Placement.
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About the game
In Reiner Knizia's BITS – a successor to his own FITS – all players are active at the same time and have their own board on which they will place multicolored tiles each turn. The game last three rounds, with players scoring points at the end of each round. At the start of each round, players reveal a communal task card, which is added to any other task cards in play. If a player creates the shapes depicted or create colored groups of the appropriate size, she'll gain or lose points as shown on the task card(s). Each player then randomly determines a different starting tile for the round and places it on her board. Then the building cards are revealed one at a time, and all players take the tile shown and add it to their board by placing it in the top row of their row, then letting it slide down into place among the other tiles. This continues until all tiles have been placed. Players then score (or lose) points for the round, and the player with the highest score after three rounds wins! Players can complete an optional fourth round, if desired, and the rules also contain scoring targets for solitaire play.
Questions and answers
BITS supports 1–4 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 BITS is 30–45 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 BITS 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.
BITS has a complexity rating of 1.5 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.
BITS belongs to these categories: Puzzle. Its main mechanics are Tile Placement. 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 BITS are: Reiner Knizia. 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 BITS 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.