- BGG rank
- BGG #2,809
- BGG rating
- 6.3
Loot
- 2–8 players
- 20 min
- Complexity 1.4/5
- 1992
- BGG rank
- BGG #25,814
- BGG rating
- 5.7
Ghosts
2007
Rules assistance for Ghosts
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–6 players
- 20 min
- 8+
- Complexity 1.0/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for Ghosts
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Ghosts is a board game released in 2007 for 2–6 players, 20 minutes per game, and ages 8 and up. It was designed by Reiner Knizia and its main mechanics are Hand Management.
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About the game
In Ghosts — which was first released under the title Spirits! — players have a hand of five ghost cards (with values from 1 to 3 in six suits), and on a turn you play a card, then draw a card. Keep a running a tally of the sum of cards played. If you play a card of the same suit as the topmost played card, you keep the sum the same and reverse the order of play. You cannot bring the sum above 7, and if you cannot play or choose not to play, remove all the played cards, take a ghost marker, then play a card to start a new pile. When all the cards have been played, the round ends; shuffle the cards and deal a new hand of five cards to each player. If a player collects no ghosts in either the second or third round, they discard three ghost markers from their collection. Whoever has the fewest ghost markers at the end of three rounds wins.
Categories
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- Raven Distribution
- AMIGO
- ASYNCRON games
- Red Glove
- Die Spiegelburg
Questions and answers
Ghosts 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 Ghosts is 20 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 Ghosts 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.
Ghosts 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.
Ghosts belongs to these categories: Card Game, Children's Game, and Pirates. Its main mechanics are Hand Management. 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 Ghosts are: Reiner Knizia. 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 Ghosts 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.