- BGG rank
- BGG #12,259
- BGG rating
- 6.6
Niña & Pinta
- 1–4 players
- 120 min
- Complexity 3.2/5
- 2016
- BGG rank
- BGG #12,192
- BGG rating
- 6.4
Downfall
2018
Rules assistance for Downfall
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 3–6 players
- 90–180 min
- 14+
- Complexity 3.8/5
For 3 players
Rules assistant for Downfall
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Downfall is a board game released in 2018 for 3–6 players, 90–180 minutes per game, and ages 14 and up. It was designed by John D. Clair and its main mechanics are Area Majority / Influence, Simultaneous Action Selection, and Open Drafting.
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About the game
In the year 2213, the world order — as it had been known for a century and a half — came to an abrupt end over a 19 day war. The bombs started falling on the third day, and by the 19th day ninety-nine percent of the earth’s population was dead or would be soon. Wars and conflicts had raged now and again for decades prior, populations rising up, and the global government seeking to quell the conflict and maintain the status quo. But in the most recent five year period, the conflicts escalated rapidly, and the world order began to come apart—leaders became scared and trigger fingers twitchy. No one knows who pressed the button first, and in the harsh realities of the world that followed, no one cared. What mattered was surviving and, if possible, rebuilding. Each turn, players will draft and simultaneously play a card from their hand ("pack") to indicate their action for the turn. This may be moving citizens or airships to explore or expand around the modular board, building structures, researching technology, initiating conflict, producing or gathering resources, and abating radiation. All of these things can earn you points in different ways. If you cannot store resources, they are left on the ground and are available for anyone present to use. Each card has an action and a lesser version of another action, so you're never stuck being entirely unable to do a particular thing, and you can also store cards for future. Once all actions are complete, hands are passed to the next player and a new card is added to each one. If a "Winter" card is added, it is discarded and replaced, and the game timer advances. As the game timer advances, both expected events (spread of radiation, combat, feeding your citizens) and unexpected events may occur. When the Winter track reaches the end, the game is over, and points are scored.
Designers
Publishers
- Tasty Minstrel Games
Questions and answers
Downfall supports 3–6 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 Downfall is 90–180 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 Downfall 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.
Downfall has a complexity rating of 3.8 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a heavy 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.
Downfall belongs to these categories: Territory Building, Exploration, and Science Fiction. Its main mechanics are Area Majority / Influence, Simultaneous Action Selection, 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 Downfall are: John D. Clair. 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 Downfall 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.