
- BGG rank
- BGG #27,670
- BGG rating
- 5.5
Escape from Flat Earth
- 1–6 players
- 15–30 min
- Complexity 1.2/5
- 2020

2012
Rules assistance for Inception: Solo card game
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.

For 1 player
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Inception: Solo card game is a board game released in 2012 for 1 player, 60 minutes per game, and ages 10 and up. It was designed by Lines J. Hutter and its main mechanics are Hand Management and Open Drafting.
Disclaimer: This game is an unauthorized, non-profit game that uses names and images from the original movie by Warner Brothers. Neither the designer nor anyone else is allowed to make any financial profit from it. About the game: I hope you remember the great movie “Inception”. Cobb and his team of Extractors are offered a job to implant an idea into a person´s mind by infiltrating his dreams. The target is Fischer and the client is Saito, who will profit greatly from Fischer's new “idea”. The reward: a lot of money and the chance for Cobb to return home to see his children. But to plant a thought deep enough into someone´s mind, you´ll have to go very deep. A dream within a dream… within another dream. And if you die in a dream, you´ll end up in Limbo and probably go mad. Guide Cobb and his team through the different dream levels. Recruit your team members and sedate Fischer in the waking reality. Step deeper into his dreams, plant Inceptions, and prepare for the final Kick that´ll bring the team back home. Fight against attackers, Cobb's adversaries and Fischer´s “dream police”. Cobb´s wife Mal will show up and try to stop the team. And some of your team might end up in Limbo and have to be saved first before they can return to reality. About the gameplay: Inception is a solo (1-player) card game with a playing time of around 50 to 60 minutes. Each turn the player draws 2 cards to his hand. Some negative cards (Cobb´s Flashbacks) apply immediately, while the others may be played in the “Play cards” step. Cards may be played in different ways. They may be discarded to use their one-shop effects. Weapon cards may be attached to a character to increase his strength against attacks. Other cards may be placed in a dedicated “Convince Display” from which they may be played when trying to convince opponents or to plant Inceptions. But the player should also keep some cards in his hand, to either react to new Events or boost his strength when defending against an attacker. These are the tactical choices that have to be made and that will determine success or failure. An Event card is drawn from the Dream Level the Characters are currently in. You will have to evade attacks, convince people, plant Inceptions in Fischer´s mind, and face other challenges. Team members might die, as in the movie, and have to be found in Limbo and convinced to come back with you. To win the game, the final Inception on Fischer has to be successful, Mal must be dead, and Saito, Cobb, and enough members for the final Kick must still be alive. Designed for the BGG Solitaire Print and Play Contest 2012. Inception is available as Print and Play (see file section) via ArtsCow, Printerstudio (thanks Jay) as PC game (thanks David) and as Vassal module. See forum section for links. Microbadge:
Inception: Solo card game supports 1 player 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 Inception: Solo card game is 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 Inception: Solo card game for ages 10 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.
Inception: Solo card game has a complexity rating of 2.2 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-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.
Inception: Solo card game belongs to these categories: Card Game, Fighting, and Movies / TV / Radio theme. Its main mechanics are Hand Management and Open Drafting. 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 Inception: Solo card game are: Lines J. Hutter. 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 Inception: Solo card 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.