
- BGG rank
- BGG #11,120
- BGG rating
- 6.4
Rivets
- 2 players
- 30 min
- Complexity 2.0/5
- 1977

1978
Rules assistance for Black Hole
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.

For 2 players
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Black Hole is a board game released in 1978 for 2 players, 30 minutes per game, and ages 10 and up. It was designed by Robert Taylor and its main mechanics are Grid Movement, Hexagon Grid, and Simulation.
Microgame #10 in the Metagaming Microgames series. Two space mining cartels battle for control of an alien artifact: a donut-shaped asteroid with a miniature black hole gravitically tethered in the center of the hole.
Black Hole supports 2 players according to the catalogue. This is the publisher’s listed player count, so the game is designed for exactly that number of participants. Variants for other group sizes, if any, are described in the rulebook of your edition, so check it before setting up a different configuration.
The listed playing time for Black Hole 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 Black Hole 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 Hole has a complexity rating of 1.6 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.
Black Hole belongs to these categories: Wargame and Science Fiction. Its main mechanics are Grid Movement, Hexagon Grid, and Simulation. 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 Hole are: Robert Taylor. 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 Hole 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.