- BGG rank
- BGG #14,544
- BGG rating
- 6.9
Yamma
- 2 players
- 15–30 min
- Complexity 1.8/5
- 2024
- BGG rank
- BGG #12,379
- BGG rating
- 7.4
Iro
2022
Rules assistance for Iro
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2 players
- 10–30 min
- 8+
- Complexity 1.3/5
Rules assistant for Iro
For 2 players
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Iro is a board game released in 2022 for 2 players, 10–30 minutes per game, and ages 8 and up. It was designed by Khanat Sadomwattana and its main mechanics are Square Grid, Grid Movement, and Static Capture.
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About the game
In the two-player strategy game Iro, you win by moving one of your pieces to the opponent's starting row, but the movement of each piece is dictated by the colors on top of it. To set up, each player arranges six tiles in front of them; tiles are divided into 2x2 grids, with the four spaces of the grid each being in a different color: blue, red, green, and yellow. Arrange the tiles in a rectangle six spaces wide and four deep, with a space of each color in the row closest to you. Place 12 of your 16 pieces on the two rows closest to you, with the remaining pieces going into a reserve. Each piece shows three different colors or one color twice and a second color a single time. Once you've done this, reveal your set-up and place your tiles against the opponent's to create a board eight rows deep. On a turn, you have two options: Swap: Swap one of your pieces on the board for a piece in your reserve. Move: Move one of your pieces on the board 1-3 spaces, with moves being orthogonal or diagonal. The spaces that you move on must match the colors of that piece, and you can land on a color only as many times as the number of times that color appears on the piece. You can move onto a space occupied by your own piece, but you can't end your move there. If you land on an opponent's piece, place that piece in the opponent's reserve and end your movement. If you land one of your pieces in the row closest to the opponent, you win.
Categories
Designers
Publishers
- (Self-Published)
Questions and answers
Iro 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 Iro is 10–30 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 Iro 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.
Iro 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.
Iro belongs to these categories: Abstract Strategy. Its main mechanics are Square Grid, Grid Movement, 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 Iro are: Khanat Sadomwattana. 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 Iro 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.