- BGG rank
- BGG #25,332
- BGG rating
- 5.9
Mafia
- 3–5 players
- 60–120 min
- Complexity 1.8/5
- 1981
- BGG rank
- BGG #25,869
- BGG rating
- 5.7
Exploration
1967
Rules assistance for Exploration
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–5 players
- 45 min
- 8+
- Complexity 1.4/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for Exploration
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Exploration is a board game released in 1967 for 2–5 players, 45 minutes per game, and ages 8 and up. It was designed by James C. Spiring and its main mechanics are Race, Roll / Spin and Move, and Lose a Turn.
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About the game
Exploration was a very popular 1970s game from Britain's best game company, Waddingtons. The dramatic & colourful box cover, showing the Kon Tiki raft, mountain climbers, ziggurats, and scuba divers on a wreck, inspired thousands of British kids to explore the globe, at least in their fantasies. To win, you must mount an exploration to one of four Objectives (Lost City, Summit, Island and Sunken Galleon), return to base and make the most money. Being first back was not enough, you've got to make the best profit on your trip. The game is played in 2 phases; initially you move round the outer track on die rolls, collecting Personnel cards, buying Equipment cards and drawing Exploration Club cards (which may gain or cost you cash to the Prize Fund). When your group is assembled, take the appropriate dobber (Yacht, Lorry, Tent or Ship) and set off. The 2nd phase has you moving over land or sea using the unique Diradice, a d6 with a 5 symbols. These allow you to move 1 or 2 spaces orthogonally or diagonally. The problem is that the spaces on the board are littered with symbols which you can only cross if you have the correct equipment, like the compass, dinghy or mountain boots. You must have an explorer with the Main Objective to reach your goal, but the other personnel allow you to avoid hazards and reach Lesser Objectives (Skeleton, Pearls, Rare Flower etc.) to gain cash. 1st, 2nd and 3rd home get cash and 1st back gets the Prize Fund. A pretty simple game of dice rolling, the only real choice is when to launch your trip. But the theme, the striking board and cards and that weird die makes this a fondly remembered game in the UK.
Categories
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- Waddingtons
- Otto Maier Verlag
- SPIRING Enterprises Ltd.
Questions and answers
Exploration 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 Exploration 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 Exploration 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.
Exploration 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.
Exploration belongs to these categories: Economic, Exploration, and Nautical. Its main mechanics are Race, Roll / Spin and Move, and Lose a Turn. 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 Exploration are: James C. Spiring. 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 Exploration 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.