
- BGG rank
- BGG #14,162
- BGG rating
- 6.2
Jackal: Treasure Island
- 2–4 players
- 45 min
- Complexity 1.3/5
- 2011

2009
Rules assistance for Jackal
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
For 2 players

What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Jackal is a board game released in 2009 for 2–4 players, 120 minutes per game, and ages 8 and up. It was designed by Dmitry Kibkalo and its main mechanics are Hand Management, Area Movement, and Area Majority / Influence.
In Jackal the players take command of pirate bands disembarking on Treasure Island. Each player may move their selected pirate once per round. The players explore the island in search of treasure to load on board their ships, while trying to recapture treasure from each other at the same time. The object of the game is to load more gold onto your ship than any other player. The Jackal game board consists of squares with elements for an island map: jungles, gold chests, pointers for movement, crocodiles, forts, bullets, and so on. The board is initially set up in a random order, which means every game is its own unique and interesting adventure. Contents: 117 tiles, 4 ship-tiles, 12 pirates, 37 coins, rules
Jackal 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 Jackal is 120 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 Jackal 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.
Jackal has a complexity rating of 1.4 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.
Jackal belongs to these categories: Exploration and Pirates. Its main mechanics are Hand Management, Area Movement, and Area Majority / Influence. 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 Jackal are: Dmitry Kibkalo. 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 Jackal 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.