- BGG rank
- BGG #4,480
- BGG rating
- 7.3
Perdition's Mouth: Abyssal Rift
- 1–6 players
- 30–180 min
- Complexity 3.9/5
- 2016
- BGG rank
- BGG #15,581
- BGG rating
- 6.0
Black Hat
2015
Rules assistance for Black Hat
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–6 players
- 30–45 min
- 10+
- Complexity 2.4/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for Black Hat
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Black Hat is a board game released in 2015 for 2–6 players, 30–45 minutes per game, and ages 10 and up. It was designed by Ren Multamäki and Thomas Klausner and its main mechanics are Hand Management, Set Collection, and Area Movement.
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About the game
Information wants to be free, but you charge by the hour... In the world of network security, a "black hat" is a hacker who defeats computer systems for personal gain. These rogue data jockeys pit themselves against the most secure systems in the world for the thrill of it (and maybe to make a little money on the side). However, the most skilled hackers know it's not about getting there first; it's about ghosting in and out of the system without leaving a trace. Black Hat is a hacker-themed, climbing trick-taking board game for 2-6 players. While trick-taking is the main mechanism used in the game, you can win the game even if you win only a few tricks — as long as you win the ones that make the most for your game. Black Hat features a random and evolving game board that players progress through during the game, and while that progress helps you toward victory, the first player to finish doesn't necessarily win. Black Hat allows a wide variety of gameplay strategies to be applied, none of them clearly superior over another, as you have to adapt to the situation.
Categories
Designers
Publishers
- Dragon Dawn Productions
Questions and answers
Black Hat 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 Black Hat 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 Black Hat 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.
Black Hat has a complexity rating of 2.4 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-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.
Black Hat belongs to these categories: Card Game and Science Fiction. Its main mechanics are Hand Management, Set Collection, and Area Movement. 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 Black Hat are: Ren Multamäki and Thomas Klausner. 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 Black Hat 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.