- BGG rank
- BGG #7,533
- BGG rating
- 6.7
Critical Mass: Patriot vs Iron Curtain
- 2 players
- 30 min
- Complexity 2.2/5
- 2018
- BGG rank
- BGG #8,324
- BGG rating
- 6.8
Critical Mass: Raijin vs Archon
2018
Rules assistance for Critical Mass: Raijin vs Archon
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2 players
- 30 min
- 14+
- Complexity 2.0/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for Critical Mass: Raijin vs Archon
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Critical Mass: Raijin vs Archon is a board game released in 2018 for 2 players, 30 minutes per game, and ages 14 and up. It was designed by Kevin Chang and its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Hand Management, and Simultaneous Action Selection.
Similar games
- BGG rank
- BGG #1,540
- BGG rating
- 7.6
BattleCON: War of Indines
- 2–4 players
- 15–60 min
- Complexity 2.8/5
- 2012
- BGG rank
- BGG #2,104
- BGG rating
- 6.9
Yomi
- 2 players
- 30 min
- Complexity 2.4/5
- 2011
- BGG rank
- BGG #3,134
- BGG rating
- 8.0
Exceed Fighting System
- 2 players
- 5–30 min
- Complexity 2.7/5
- 2016
- BGG rank
- BGG #4,895
- BGG rating
- 6.8
Combo Fighter
- 1–4 players
- 5–15 min
- Complexity 1.5/5
- 2019
- BGG rank
- BGG #8,215
- BGG rating
- 8.6
Yomi 2: Road to Morningstar
- 1–2 players
- 30 min
- Complexity 2.6/5
- 2025
- BGG rank
- BGG #8,864
- BGG rating
- 7.1
Yomi: Round 1
- 1–4 players
- 15–30 min
- Complexity 2.7/5
- 2014
- BGG rank
- BGG #4,413
- BGG rating
- 7.4
Yomi (Second Edition)
- 1–4 players
- 20 min
- Complexity 2.7/5
- 2014
- BGG rank
- BGG #5,761
- BGG rating
- 6.6
The Ares Project
- 2–4 players
- 60 min
- Complexity 3.3/5
- 2011
- BGG rank
- BGG #7,966
- BGG rating
- 7.9
Battle for Biternia
- 2–4 players
- 60–90 min
- Complexity 2.9/5
- 2018
- BGG rank
- BGG #15
- BGG rating
- 8.6
Slay the Spire: The Board Game
- 1–4 players
- 30–150 min
- Complexity 2.9/5
- 2024
- BGG rank
- BGG #6,977
- BGG rating
- 6.2
Grimslingers
- 1–6 players
- 15–90 min
- Complexity 2.7/5
- 2015
About the game
Critical Mass is a fast-paced mech combat game. Players go head-to-head in this fighting-strategy game with deck-building aspects. Players choose their favorite mech to battle it out, with each mech offering a different loadout of cards to start the game and unique powers. Each turn, players play a card face-down. When both players have chosen a card, they reveal them. Cards resolve based on their speed if they haven't been interrupted. Weapons deal damage and interrupt the enemy, while defending avoids weapon hits. Upgrading offers you additional cards to add to your arsenal but is vulnerable to being interrupted. Lastly, recharge reloads spent cards. As cards are played, they go to their owner's cool-down pile, where they remain until they're reloaded. As players take damage, the armor on their mech is destroyed. When enough armor is destroyed, an armor core becomes vulnerable and can be destroyed to stun that mech for the next turn. The game ends when a mech's armor is completely destroyed down to the last core.
Categories
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- Arcane Wonders
- Dice Tower Essentials
Questions and answers
Critical Mass: Raijin vs Archon 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 Critical Mass: Raijin vs Archon 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 Critical Mass: Raijin vs Archon for ages 14 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.
Critical Mass: Raijin vs Archon has a complexity rating of 2.0 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.
Critical Mass: Raijin vs Archon belongs to these categories: Card Game, Fighting, and Science Fiction. Its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Hand Management, and Simultaneous Action Selection. 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 Critical Mass: Raijin vs Archon are: Kevin Chang. 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 Critical Mass: Raijin vs Archon 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.