
- BGG rank
- BGG #1,698
- BGG rating
- 7.5
Smash Up: It's Your Fault!
- 2 players
- 45–60 min
- Complexity 2.0/5
- 2016

Rules assistance for Dark Age Z
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.

What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Dark Age Z is a board game released in 2015 for 2–5 players, 90 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Anakin Man and Jerry Wong and its main mechanics are Hand Management.
In the ancient world, kingdoms fought for control of medieval earth. For decades, fierce wars broke out and in combat after combat, deaths tolled thousands, in battles and massacres with no sign of peace. In one of these battles, the sky suddenly roared and the earth broke open abruptly, unleashing countless swarms of zombies of the modern world that rushed in from the unearthly crevice. The sudden invasion of these monstrous creatures brought unprecedented threat to the entire world. With their highly infectious ability and agility, the zombies rapidly broke out and were quickly becoming unstoppable. To avoid annihilation, all kingdoms were forced to set aside their long hatred towards each other and joined the line to fight for the survival of mankind. Dark Age Z is a strategic board game for 2 to 5 players. You are one of the kings in the Dark Age. All players strive to gain as many victory points (VP) as possible by killing the zombies that attack the Frontiers of the Kingdom Cities. At the end of the game, the player with the highest VPs wins the game.
Dark Age Z 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 Dark Age Z 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 Dark Age Z 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.
Dark Age Z has a complexity rating of 3.0 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-weight 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.
Dark Age Z belongs to these categories: Zombies and Medieval. Its main mechanics are Hand Management. 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 Dark Age Z are: Anakin Man and Jerry Wong. 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 Dark Age Z 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.