- BGG rank
- BGG #5,048
- BGG rating
- 6.2
504
- 2–4 players
- 30–120 min
- Complexity 3.5/5
- 2015
- BGG rank
- BGG #12,052
- BGG rating
- 6.1
Gipfelkraxler
2015
Rules assistance for Gipfelkraxler
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 1.3/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for Gipfelkraxler
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Gipfelkraxler is a board game released in 2015 for 2–4 players, 30 minutes per game, and ages 8 and up. It was designed by Friedemann Friese and its main mechanics are Dice Rolling and Pattern Building.
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About the game
Whoever wants to overcome the footholds and foothills must be the first to get two of their pawns to the summit. This requires two things: a little luck with the dice, and the opportunism to be at the right place at the right time. In your struggle to reach the top, your opponents will jostle you toward the foot of the mountain. You can do the same right back, but you can also use a chain reaction to shimmy your way to the top. In Gipfelstürmer, which translates as Summiteer but should perhaps be titled Footholds and Foothills due to the author, each player tries to reach the peak with their five mountain goats. On your turn, you can roll dice up to three times. At the end of the turn, you look to see if you fulfill the requirements to move one of your mountain goats toward the summit. Each path up the mountain has its own dice combination. The closer to the peak, the larger the required dice results (from three-of-a-kind and small straight to full house or five-of-a-kind), and the narrower the paths. In spaces of the upper half of the game board, there is room for only one mountain goat to stand. If you reach an occupied space, you may push one of your goats there one space toward the peak; on the other hand, you push one of your opponents' goats back toward the valley. Whoever can get two of their mountain goats to the summit first wins.
Questions and answers
Gipfelkraxler 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 Gipfelkraxler 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 Gipfelkraxler 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.
Gipfelkraxler has a complexity rating of 1.3 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.
Gipfelkraxler belongs to these categories: Dice. Its main mechanics are Dice Rolling and Pattern Building. 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 Gipfelkraxler are: Friedemann Friese. 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 Gipfelkraxler 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.