- BGG rank
- BGG #24,495
- BGG rating
- 5.9
Dipole
- 2 players
- 20–60 min
- Complexity 2.6/5
- 2007
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- BGG #29,585
- BGG rating
- 5.0
Icebreaker
2021
Rules assistance for Icebreaker
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2 players
- 20–60 min
- 5+
- Complexity 1.0/5
Rules assistant for Icebreaker
For 2 players
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Icebreaker is a board game released in 2021 for 2 players, 20–60 minutes per game, and ages 5 and up. It was designed by Mark Steere and its main mechanics are Grid Movement, Hexagon Grid, and Static Capture.
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About the game
Icebreaker is a two player game played on a hexagonal grid. There are three red ships and three black ships, initially placed in the corners, alternating in color. The remainder of the cells contain white icebergs. The two players, Red and Black, take turns moving one of their own ships, one move per turn, starting with Red. Players are not allowed to pass. Play You must move one of your ships to an adjacent cell which doesn’t contain another ship. By moving to a cell containing an iceberg, you capture the iceberg, and your score increases by 1. You must select one of your ships to move, and move it closer to its closest iceberg. Distance is measured by the number of cells between ship and iceberg along the shortest path of cells that connects them, going around other ships. If the ship you’ve chosen to move has icebergs adjacent to it, you must capture one of them. The goal is to capture the majority of the icebergs. On a size 5 board, there are 55 icebergs starting out. If you capture 28 of them, you win.
Categories
Designers
Publishers
- Mark Steere Games
Questions and answers
Icebreaker supports 2 players according to the catalogue. This is the publisher’s listed player count, so the game is designed for exactly that number of participants. Variants for other group sizes, if any, are described in the rulebook of your edition, so check it before setting up a different configuration.
The listed playing time for Icebreaker is 20–60 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 Icebreaker for ages 5 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.
Icebreaker 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.
Icebreaker belongs to these categories: Abstract Strategy. Its main mechanics are Grid Movement, Hexagon Grid, and Static Capture. 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 Icebreaker are: Mark Steere. 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 Icebreaker 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.