- BGG rank
- BGG #170
- BGG rating
- 7.6
Magic: The Gathering
- 2–6 players
- 20 min
- Complexity 3.3/5
- 1993
- BGG rank
- BGG #1,503
- BGG rating
- 7.2
Carnival of Monsters
2019
Rules assistance for Carnival of Monsters
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–5 players
- 45 min
- 12+
- Complexity 2.2/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for Carnival of Monsters
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Carnival of Monsters is a board game released in 2019 for 2–5 players, 45 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Richard Garfield and its main mechanics are Set Collection, Loans, and Dice Rolling.
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About the game
The Royal Monstrological Society counts among its members the most renowned and respected experts in monster lore throughout the entire empire. Each year the Society permits only a single new member to join, so applicants compete to prove their worth with the most magnificent menagerie of monstrous beasts they can find... and capture. To aid in these quests of discovery the Society grants every aspiring monstrologist a small stipend, which they can use to hire additional experts and fund their journeys to the magical lands where the most exotic beasts reside. After four seasons of hunting, would-be members present their collections at the organization’s annual banquet, an event known as the "Carnival of Monsters". Carnival of Monsters is a card-drafting game in which players try to collect sets of Land Cards so they can capture and display strange and exotic Monsters, hire talented Staff to help run their enterprise, and pursue their own Secret Goals. Points are awarded for displaying Monsters, completing Goals, and earning Gold Crowns (Crowns) over four “Seasons” of play. In the end, the player with the most profitable and spectacular carnival is the winner! —description from the publisher
Designers
Publishers
- Broadway Toys LTD
- AMIGO
- Giochi Uniti
- G3
- MINDOK
- Gigamic
- Mercurio
- VR Distribution
- Piatnik Distribution
Questions and answers
Carnival of Monsters supports 2–5 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 Carnival of Monsters is 45 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 Carnival of Monsters for ages 12 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.
Carnival of Monsters has a complexity rating of 2.2 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.
Carnival of Monsters belongs to these categories: Card Game and Fantasy. Its main mechanics are Set Collection, Loans, and Dice Rolling. 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 Carnival of Monsters are: Richard Garfield. 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 Carnival of Monsters 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.