- BGG rank
- BGG #6,806
- BGG rating
- 6.4
Ka-Ching!
- 2–4 players
- 20 min
- Complexity 1.5/5
- 2001
- BGG rank
- BGG #29,864
- BGG rating
- 5.4
Fossil
1998
Rules assistance for Fossil
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 40 min
- 10+
- Complexity 1.8/5
Rules assistant for Fossil
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Fossil is a board game released in 1998 for 2–6 players, 40 minutes per game, and ages 10 and up. It was designed by Klaus Palesch and its main mechanics are Set Collection.
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About the game
On the hunt for petrified treasures, players are competing paleontologists trying to make as complete a set as possible of several fossils. The board is laid out with a random bunch of fossil pieces and players have to take turns moving a stone about the field to a location where they want to pick up a fossil piece. However, every movement costs them prestige points so they have to weigh carefully if the fossil is worth the effort. Won Games Magazine Game of the Year award in 1999.
Editions
- FossilenGoldsieber Spiele, Rio Grande Games1998
- FossilenGoldsieber Spiele, Rio Grande Games1998
- FossildeGoldsieber Spiele1998
Categories
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- Rio Grande Games
- Goldsieber Spiele
Questions and answers
Fossil supports 2–6 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 Fossil is 40 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 Fossil 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.
Fossil has a complexity rating of 1.8 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.
Fossil belongs to these categories: Abstract Strategy and Ancient. Its main mechanics are Set Collection. 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 Fossil are: Klaus Palesch. 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 Fossil 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.