
- BGG rank
- BGG #1,924
- BGG rating
- 6.8
The Bottle Imp
- 2–4 players
- 30 min
- Complexity 1.9/5
- 1995

2024
Rules assistance for Bottle Imp
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.
Bottle Imp is a board game released in 2024 for 2–6 players, 15–30 minutes per game, and ages 10 and up. It was designed by Günter Cornett and its main mechanics are Hot Potato, Team-Based Game, and Score-and-Reset Game.
A classic of the trick taking-games makes its return! Bottle Imp is back in a new edition, adding team modes and a 5 to 6 player variant to the usual 2 to 4 players configuration of the title. In this game inspired by the eponymous novel by Robert Louis Stevenson, all players around the table want to acquire the cursed bottle that can grant all wishes... However, they need to get rid of it before the end! Score points by trying to take as many tricks as possible, but make sure to not finish the game with the bottle, or the Bottle Imp will take your points! This new edition features 54 foil effect cards and two bottles, with art by Maxime Morin (Faraway, Codex Naturalis, Next station Tokyo, Next station London...) —description from the publisher
Bottle Imp 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 Bottle Imp is 15–30 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 Bottle Imp 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.
Bottle Imp has a complexity rating of 2.1 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.
Bottle Imp belongs to these categories: Card Game and Novel-based. Its main mechanics are Hot Potato, Team-Based Game, and Score-and-Reset Game. 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 Bottle Imp are: Günter Cornett. 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 Bottle Imp 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.