
- BGG rank
- BGG #23,218
- BGG rating
- 6.5
Neon Knights: 2086
- 2–6 players
- 20–120 min
- Complexity 2.5/5
- 2018

2014
Rules assistance for Carmarace
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.
Carmarace is a board game released in 2014 for 2–6 players, 90 minutes per game, and ages 8 and up. It was designed by Luca Vince Caltabiano and its main mechanics are Hand Management, Take That, and Area Movement.
In Carma race, players take on the role of…well… themselves. You’ve just received an email from your favorite convention, promising you a free autographed limited edition item of you choice, but only IF you get there before the other players, who’ve also received the same email. The problem? You don’t have a car, but as karma has it, neither do the others. You must hitchhike your way there using planes, trains and automobiles… and the occasional bike from the thrift shop. Hey… it was 99 cents! On this journey through the continent, you’ll hop into cars equipped with NOZ, turbos, and furry dice. You’ll encounter some crazy drivers who might occasionally be drunk and take risky jumps just for the hell of it. You’ll wish for awesome upgrades to your lift, but the others are wishing just the opposite. On your turn, they’ll be praying evil things upon you. Whatever they can think of to hinder your speed. They’ll throw old ladies and moose if they have to. They’ll send birds in your engine or just simply wish for you to crash and burn. But don’t worry, their turn will come and vengeance will be sweet. You’ll have to strategically manage your limited hand size and choose which deck to draw from. Will you draw transportation cards to hopefully get the best ride in the game? Or will you draw some karma cards to boost your current ride and slow the others down. While on this awesome road trip, you’ll have to choose your path, or let the driver take you further on his own path. The GPS will determine this. You’ll have to stop at train crossings and travel through snowy hills, sandy deserts, big cities and farmland. The race also has two levels of play. You can play the regular way, which is with the special ability text of the cards, or the Junior way. In the junior level, simply play without the text and use only the numbers. This will help young players learn simple math, strategy, and have fun while doing so. But just when you thought the race was over, there’s more to come… expansions with new maps, more vehicles, more upgrades and of course…more mayhem are already in the works. Why do you think we put STAGE 1 on the box? So pack light, head out there, and hope for the best!
Carmarace 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 Carmarace is 90 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 Carmarace for ages 8 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.
Carmarace has a complexity rating of 2.6 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.
Carmarace belongs to these categories: Card Game, Party Game, and Dice. Its main mechanics are Hand Management, Take That, and Area Movement. 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 Carmarace are: Luca Vince Caltabiano. 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 Carmarace 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.