- BGG rank
- BGG #3,024
- BGG rating
- 6.5
Boomtown
- 3–5 players
- 30 min
- Complexity 1.7/5
- 2004
- BGG rank
- BGG #11,486
- BGG rating
- 6.7
Gold River
2020
Rules assistance for Gold River
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–5 players
- 35 min
- 8+
- Complexity 1.8/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for Gold River
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Gold River is a board game released in 2020 for 2–5 players, 35 minutes per game, and ages 8 and up. It was designed by Bruno Faidutti and Bruno Cathala and its main mechanics are Set Collection, Auction / Bidding, and Dice Rolling.
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About the game
In Gold River, an updated version of Boomtown and La Fièvre de l'Or, players want to take home as much money as possible from the mines that surround them. On a turn, multiple items — mines, dynamite, town characters, and more — will be available for auction. Players keep bidding until all but one player passes; that player pays their bid to the player on their right, who keeps half the money (rounded up), then passes the rest right, with that player keeping half, and so on. The winning bidder chooses one item from the lot, then the player to their left chooses one, and so on until each player has acquired something new. The winning bidder also rolls two dice to determine which gold mines pay out. The first player to acquire two mines in a location becomes that town's Mayor, after which they earn a commission when anyone else acquires a card from that town. Gold River includes a two-player game mode (unlike Boomtown) as well as an advanced "poker" game mode.
Categories
Designers
Publishers
- Korea Boardgames
- Lumberjacks Studio
- Loris Games
Questions and answers
Gold River 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 Gold River is 35 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 Gold River 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.
Gold River 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.
Gold River belongs to these categories: Card Game and American West. Its main mechanics are Set Collection, Auction / Bidding, and Dice Rolling. 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 Gold River are: Bruno Faidutti and Bruno Cathala. 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 Gold River 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.