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Ghostbusters: Protect the Barrier Game
2016
Rules assistance for Ghostbusters: Protect the Barrier Game
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–4 players
- 30 min
- 8+
- Complexity 1.8/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for Ghostbusters: Protect the Barrier Game
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Ghostbusters: Protect the Barrier Game is a board game released in 2016 for 2–4 players, 30 minutes per game, and ages 8 and up. It was designed by Brian Yu and its main mechanics are Roll / Spin and Move, Dice Rolling, and Cooperative Game.
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About the game
The evil Rowan is trying to break open the Durable But Not Impenetrable Barrier and release the dead! He's placed Paranormal Energy Devices (PEDs) all over the Mercado Building, and it's up to the Ghostbusters to find them and get them out before the fourth Cataclysm begins and the building is completely haunted. In Ghostbusters: Protect the Barrier Game, you have to keep your eye on the number of ghost figures on the board. If too many ghosts show up, rooms become haunted, and if six rooms become haunted at the same time, you lose the game! However, if all four Ghostbusters escape the building with all eight PEDs before six rooms have been haunted, the players win! In more detail, players roll dice to determine how many spaces they move this turn and whether a new ghost is added to the board. Players may move up to the number of spaces shown on the die. If they end their movement in a space with a PED, they may pick it up. If they end their movement in a space with a ghost, they fight that ghost by rolling a fight die. If they roll the matching symbol, they remove the ghost from the game board. If the players must add a third ghost to a room, it transforms into a haunting. A haunting requires at least two people in the room to attempt a fight with it. Ghostbusters: Protect the Barrier Game — a new version of the Kinderspiel des Jahres-winning Geister, Geister, Schatzsuchmeister! — includes four ways to play: Basic Battle, Basic Battle with Rowan, Advanced Adventure, and Advanced Adventure with Rowan. Rowan is a special ghost figure included in this version that cannot be killed. When this ghost's card comes up in the deck, you draw the next card, then move it to that room. If that room becomes a haunting, this ghost automatically moves to the next room.
Designers
Publishers
- Mattel, Inc.
Questions and answers
Ghostbusters: Protect the Barrier Game supports 2–4 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 Ghostbusters: Protect the Barrier Game is 30 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 Ghostbusters: Protect the Barrier Game 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.
Ghostbusters: Protect the Barrier Game 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.
Ghostbusters: Protect the Barrier Game belongs to these categories: Fantasy, Movies / TV / Radio theme, and Adventure. Its main mechanics are Roll / Spin and Move, Dice Rolling, and Cooperative Game. 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 Ghostbusters: Protect the Barrier Game are: Brian Yu. 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 Ghostbusters: Protect the Barrier Game 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.