- BGG rank
- BGG #1,675
- BGG rating
- 6.9
Guildhall
- 2–4 players
- 30–45 min
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- 2012
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- BGG rating
- 5.7
Kabuki
2011
Rules assistance for Kabuki
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–6 players
- 20 min
- 6+
- Complexity 1.1/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for Kabuki
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Kabuki is a board game released in 2011 for 2–6 players, 20 minutes per game, and ages 6 and up. It was designed by Hope S. Hwang and its main mechanics are Memory.
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About the game
Have you seen that mask in the stack before? Are you sure? To become a master kabuki actor, you must prove that you can identify all masks you see and remember where they are located, and Illusion will test those memory and recognition skills. The game lasts three rounds. To set up a round, each player takes 4-5 coins and someone shuffles the mask deck, then lays out the four actors around the deck. The deck consists of ten different types of masks, with five cards of each type. On a turn, the active player reveals the top card of the deck, then places it on top of one actors of her choice. If any opponent thinks that this type of mask is already present in this stack, he can yell "Stop!" If the accusation is true, the accuser takes as many coins from the active player as the number of masks of this type buried under the top card; if the accusation isn't true, then the accuser loses one coin, placing it out of the game. The round ends when one player has no coins remaining or the deck of cards has run out. Players tally their score for the round. The player with the most coins after three rounds wins. Kabuki features the same gameplay as Illusion, but players now try to track the different face paintings worn by kabuki artists.
Categories
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- IELLO
- Mancalamaro
- Deinko Games
Questions and answers
Kabuki supports 2–6 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 Kabuki is 20 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 Kabuki for ages 6 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.
Kabuki has a complexity rating of 1.1 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.
Kabuki belongs to these categories: Children's Game and Memory. Its main mechanics are Memory. 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 Kabuki are: Hope S. Hwang. 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 Kabuki 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.