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Imagician
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Cool Runnings
2018
Rules assistance for Cool Runnings
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–4 players
- 30 min
- 8+
- Complexity 1.0/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for Cool Runnings
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Cool Runnings is a board game released in 2018 for 2–4 players, 30 minutes per game, and ages 8 and up. It was designed by Olivier Mahy and its main mechanics are Take That and Modular Board.
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About the game
To play Cool Runnings, you'll need a dose of coolness and a freezer — yes, literally as the game "characters" are made of ice and you must create them prior to play. The winner is whoever brings their ice to the finish line first — or whoever still has an ice character in play while everyone else has melted away. During the game — which is played on a modular, waterproof game board — players will attack one another with a pinch of salt, a water bath, or a simple hands-on approach in which your own heat can damage someone's character. If the defending player can play the same attack card as you, though, the attack bounces back on you!
Questions and answers
Cool Runnings 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 Cool Runnings is 30 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 Cool Runnings 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.
Cool Runnings 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.
The main mechanics of Cool Runnings are Take That and Modular Board. Mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns, such as rolling dice, drafting cards or placing workers. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you enjoyed Cool Runnings and want something comparable.
The credited designers of Cool Runnings are: Olivier Mahy. 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 Cool Runnings 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.