
- BGG rank
- BGG #1,976
- BGG rating
- 6.7
Ave Caesar
- 2–6 players
- 30 min
- Complexity 1.4/5
- 1989

1994
Rules assistance for Breakout
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.
Breakout is a board game released in 1994 for 2 players, 20 minutes per game, and ages 6 and up. It was designed by Wolfgang Riedesser and its main mechanics are Pattern Recognition.
In this game there are a game board placed vertically. On the board there five rows that you can shift pieces. And there are 26 pieces in two colour.You try to connect your color from bottom to top. In reality each row takes five piece. We can say this game is played on a 5x5 grid.
Breakout 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 Breakout is 20 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 Breakout for ages 6 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.
Breakout has a complexity rating of 1.0 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.
Breakout belongs to these categories: Abstract Strategy. Its main mechanics are Pattern Recognition. 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 Breakout are: Wolfgang Riedesser. 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 Breakout 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.