- BGG rank
- BGG #2,737
- BGG rating
- 7.2
Mind Space
- 1–5 players
- 30 min
- Complexity 1.9/5
- 2023
- BGG rank
- BGG #2,003
- BGG rating
- 7.0
District Noir
2016
Rules assistance for District Noir
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2 players
- 10–20 min
- 10+
- Complexity 1.4/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for District Noir
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
District Noir is a board game released in 2016 for 2 players, 10–20 minutes per game, and ages 10 and up. It was designed by Nao Shimamura (シマムラナオ) and Nobutake Dogen and its main mechanics are Hand Management, Set Collection, and Push Your Luck.
Similar games
- BGG rank
- BGG #202
- BGG rating
- 7.5
Jaipur
- 2 players
- 30 min
- Complexity 1.5/5
- 2009
- BGG rank
- BGG #252
- BGG rating
- 7.5
Sea Salt & Paper
- 2–4 players
- 30–45 min
- Complexity 1.5/5
- 2022
- BGG rank
- BGG #18
- BGG rating
- 8.4
The Lord of the Rings: Duel for Middle-earth
- 2 players
- 30 min
- Complexity 2.1/5
- 2024
- BGG rank
- BGG #452
- BGG rating
- 7.3
Abyss
- 2–4 players
- 30–60 min
- Complexity 2.3/5
- 2014
- BGG rank
- BGG #579
- BGG rating
- 7.4
Fantastic Factories
- 1–5 players
- 45–60 min
- Complexity 2.2/5
- 2019
- BGG rank
- BGG #860
- BGG rating
- 7.0
Oh My Goods!
- 2–4 players
- 30 min
- Complexity 2.3/5
- 2015
- BGG rank
- BGG #970
- BGG rating
- 7.0
Kanagawa
- 2–4 players
- 45 min
- Complexity 2.0/5
- 2016
- BGG rank
- BGG #2,025
- BGG rating
- 6.6
CV
- 2–4 players
- 60 min
- Complexity 1.8/5
- 2013
- BGG rank
- BGG #4,762
- BGG rating
- 7.3
Kodachi
- 2–4 players
- 45 min
- Complexity 1.8/5
- 2019
- BGG rank
- BGG #1,087
- BGG rating
- 7.2
Tribune: Primus Inter Pares
- 2–5 players
- 60–120 min
- Complexity 2.9/5
- 2007
- BGG rank
- BGG #1,659
- BGG rating
- 6.6
Kahuna
- 2 players
- 30–40 min
- Complexity 2.1/5
- 1998
About the game
District Noir — first released as 聖杯サクセション (Throne and Grail) — is a two-player game with bluffing and set collection. To set-up the game, remove three face-down cards from the deck of 45 cards from the game, then lay out two cards face up to start the first line. Each round, each player receives five cards in hand, and each turn you either play one card from your hand to the end of the line or — once per round — collect the most recently played five cards. Once all the cards from hand have been played, deal out five cards to each player and start the next round. After four rounds, the game ends. Some cards have positive or negative numbers on them, and you score those points directly. Other cards are numbered 5-8, and you score 5-8 points for a value if you have more of those cards than the other player. Additionally, you score 5 points for each set of 5-8 that you've collected. And while normally points decide who wins, if you collect all three special cards — each of which are worthless on their own — you win immediately. The original edition saw players seeking the Holy Grail, with the assistance of various factions. Nasza Księgarnia's version of the game — Fabryka czekolady — features the same gameplay as the original design, with players are fighting over chocolates. Spiral Editions retheme the game in a gangster setting, with players taking over businesses or seizing control of the city.
Designers
Publishers
- ToyCo
- Reflexshop
- 999 Games
- Game Factory
- PaperGames (III)
- Hachette Boardgames Benelux
- Nasza Księgarnia
- Pandasaurus Games
- Studio Supernova
- TLAMA games
- MEBO Games
- MTS Games
- 大気圏内ゲームズ (Taikikennai Games)
- Spiral Éditions
Questions and answers
District Noir 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 District Noir is 10–20 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 District Noir for ages 10 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.
District Noir has a complexity rating of 1.4 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.
District Noir belongs to these categories: Card Game and Bluffing. Its main mechanics are Hand Management, Set Collection, and Push Your Luck. 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 District Noir are: Nao Shimamura (シマムラナオ) and Nobutake Dogen. 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 District Noir 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.