- BGG rank
- BGG #10,019
- BGG rating
- 6.2
Starbase Jeff
- 2–4 players
- 30–60 min
- Complexity 1.5/5
- 1998
- BGG rank
- BGG #8,857
- BGG rating
- 6.3
Camden
2002
Rules assistance for Camden
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–4 players
- 20 min
- 10+
- Complexity 1.9/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for Camden
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Camden is a board game released in 2002 for 2–4 players, 20 minutes per game, and ages 10 and up. It was designed by James Ernest and its main mechanics are Tile Placement.
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About the game
Camden is a game about drawing and laying cards (acting as tiles) to form a highly abstracted street market. What sets the game apart from other games in the tile-laying genre is that the cards can be placed almost anywhere on the board and in almost any orientation. Cards may touch at corners, and the corner of one card may touch the side of another. Players advance by purchasing stores formed by the cards and collecting revenue from those stores at the beginning of each subsequent turn. Symbols on cards may trigger effects when drawn, either destroying or emptying the largest store, or giving players bonus payouts. Victory is achieved by the first player to reach 50 points. Since revenue comes from the quality of your store, but other players can play tiles to alter that store, the overall result is a cutthroat mind-bender, making it one of the most popular games of Cheapass's Hip Pocket Games series. The game was originally released as Agora in 2002, with the theme of an ancient Greek marketplace.
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- Arclight Games
- Cheapass Games
- Gamesmith, LLC
Questions and answers
Camden supports 2–4 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 Camden 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 Camden 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.
Camden has a complexity rating of 1.9 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.
Camden belongs to these categories: Card Game, Economic, and Print & Play. Its main mechanics are Tile Placement. 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 Camden are: James Ernest. 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 Camden 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.