- BGG rank
- BGG #14,786
- BGG rating
- 6.7
Wordsearch
- 2–4 players
- 45 min
- Complexity 2.2/5
- 1988
- BGG rank
- BGG #20,147
- BGG rating
- 6.0
Jailbreak
1982
Rules assistance for Jailbreak
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2 players
- 30 min
- 7+
- Complexity 1.3/5
Rules assistant for Jailbreak
For 2 players
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Jailbreak is a board game released in 1982 for 2 players, 30 minutes per game, and ages 7 and up. It was designed by Malcolm Goldsmith and Michael Kindred and its main mechanics are Area Majority / Influence, Tile Placement, and Pattern Building.
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About the game
Six convicts with their getaway cars are on the run with six police cars hot on their tail setting up road blocks. The cards represent twisting roads which can lead the convicts to freedom or land them back inside. Jailbreak is a competitive game of wits for two players or two teams. For ages seven years and upwards but don't be caught out - all ages can play together. The mechanics of the game are straight-forward, each player alternately lays a card with the convicts trying to create a clear path to a getaway car and onwards to the edge of the play area, whilst the police try to block all such routes. Caution : The editions from 'ASS' and 'danspil' are not so tricky and strategic in gameplay because of altered cards for the police player. These special cards have predefined spots and the player no choice where to put his police 'car' or token as in the original game . This ruined the game and fun totally.
Categories
Designers
Publishers
- ASS Altenburger Spielkarten
- Waddingtons
- John Sands Pty Ltd
- Carlit
- N.W. Damm & Søn (Damm)
- Jumbo
- ToyCo
- danspil
- Dal Negro
Questions and answers
Jailbreak 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 Jailbreak is 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 Jailbreak for ages 7 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.
Jailbreak 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.
Jailbreak belongs to these categories: Card Game, Children's Game, and Maze. Its main mechanics are Area Majority / Influence, Tile Placement, and Pattern Building. 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 Jailbreak are: Malcolm Goldsmith and Michael Kindred. 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 Jailbreak 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.