
- BGG rank
- BGG #623
- BGG rating
- 7.0
Sheriff of Nottingham
- 3–5 players
- 60 min
- Complexity 1.7/5
- 2014

2011
Rules assistance for Donkey: It's a Kick!
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.

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Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Donkey: It's a Kick! is a board game released in 2011 for 3–8 players, 45 minutes per game, and ages 8 and up. It was designed by Jayne Cleveland, Cleve Cleveland, and Claudia Cleveland and its main mechanics are Set Collection and Open Drafting.
Donkey It's a Kick! how to play: 1. Place one less puck in the middle of the table than there are players. 2. Dealer reads aloud the instructions on the Kicker Card, which will explain the challenge for this round of play. Dealer then deals the PLAYING CARDS accordingly. 3. While fulfilling the challenge of the Kicker Card, each player races to get the qualifying hand to grab the first puck from the table. If a player grabs a puck, each remaining player must quickly try to grab a puck. One player will come up short. That player scores the letter "D" on their score card. 5. Once a player's score card spells D-O-N-K-E-Y, that player is officially out of the game, but is allowed to remain in play and wreak havoc on the remaining players in an effort to take them down with him. Each Kicker Card challenge makes every round unique. In addition, players get to "police" other players and give them an unwanted letter score if they "slip up." Seasoned players of 8 or even 9 at a table will have this game over in 45 minutes or less! Once there's a D-O-N-K-E-Y in the game, the players start dropping like flies.
Donkey: It's a Kick! supports 3–8 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 Donkey: It's a Kick! 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 Donkey: It's a Kick! 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.
Donkey: It's a Kick! 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.
Donkey: It's a Kick! belongs to these categories: Card Game and Party Game. Its main mechanics are Set Collection and Open Drafting. 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 Donkey: It's a Kick! are: Jayne Cleveland, Cleve Cleveland, and Claudia Cleveland. 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 Donkey: It's a Kick! 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.