
- BGG rank
- BGG #6,287
- BGG rating
- 7.0
Neolithic
- 1–2 players
- 30–45 min
- Complexity 2.1/5
- 2016

2020
Rules assistance for Cacti
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.
Cacti is a board game released in 2020 for 2 players and 15–20 minutes per game. It was designed by John Clowdus and its main mechanics are Set Collection, Push Your Luck, and Open Drafting.
Cacti is a set collection card game for two, placing players in charge of growing and arranging cacti. Using an easy to grasp action system, players acquire cacti in 4 different types, and arrange them in sets based on the cards available. Arrangements score the players points at the end of the game. But, players lose points at the end of the game for unused cacti. —description from the publisher
Cacti 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 Cacti is 15–20 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.
Cacti 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.
Cacti belongs to these categories: Card Game and Print & Play. Its main mechanics are Set Collection, Push Your Luck, and Open Drafting. 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 Cacti are: John Clowdus. 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 Cacti 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.