- BGG rank
- BGG #2,377
- BGG rating
- 6.8
Ribbit
- 2–5 players
- 20 min
- Complexity 1.1/5
- 2004
- BGG rank
- BGG #1,897
- BGG rating
- 7.0
Kariba
2010
Rules assistance for Kariba
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–4 players
- 15 min
- 6+
- Complexity 1.1/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for Kariba
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Kariba is a board game released in 2010 for 2–4 players, 15 minutes per game, and ages 6 and up. It was designed by Reiner Knizia and its main mechanics are Hand Management and Rock-Paper-Scissors.
Similar games
- BGG rank
- BGG #2,886
- BGG rating
- 6.7
Penguin Party
- 2–6 players
- 15 min
- Complexity 1.1/5
- 2008
- BGG rank
- BGG #3,687
- BGG rating
- 7.4
Piñatas
- 2–5 players
- 30–40 min
- Complexity 1.2/5
- 2025
- BGG rank
- BGG #335
- BGG rating
- 7.4
Battle Line
- 2 players
- 30 min
- Complexity 1.9/5
- 2000
- BGG rank
- BGG #349
- BGG rating
- 7.3
Lost Cities
- 2 players
- 30 min
- Complexity 1.5/5
- 1999
- BGG rank
- BGG #438
- BGG rating
- 7.4
Schotten Totten
- 2 players
- 20 min
- Complexity 1.7/5
- 1999
- BGG rank
- BGG #1,395
- BGG rating
- 7.6
Battle Line: Medieval
- 2 players
- 30 min
- Complexity 1.8/5
- 2017
- BGG rank
- BGG #1,817
- BGG rating
- 6.7
Blue Moon
- 2 players
- 30 min
- Complexity 2.2/5
- 2004
- BGG rank
- BGG #1,988
- BGG rating
- 6.5
L.L.A.M.A.
- 2–6 players
- 20 min
- Complexity 1.1/5
- 2019
- BGG rank
- BGG #3,158
- BGG rating
- 6.7
Keltis: Das Kartenspiel
- 2–4 players
- 20 min
- Complexity 1.5/5
- 2009
- BGG rank
- BGG #3,397
- BGG rating
- 6.5
Ivanhoe
- 2–5 players
- 20–60 min
- Complexity 1.6/5
- 2000
- BGG rank
- BGG #3,794
- BGG rating
- 6.4
Formula Motor Racing
- 3–6 players
- 20 min
- Complexity 1.2/5
- 1995
About the game
All animals are thirsty after an adventurous day in the savannah, so they've all trekked to the drinking grounds. Every animal wants to be the first to drink, but watch out! The elephant scares the rhino, the rhino scares the ostrich, and the ostrich scares the zebra. Anything can happen... The mice might even scare the elephant! The player who scares away the most animals wins. To set up Kariba, shuffle the cards and deal five to each player, placing the remainder face down as a deck. Place the game board in the center of the table. During a round, a player lays down one or more cards of the same animal, placing the cards in the corresponding position (1-9) around the lake. If at least 3 cards of the same animal are placed in front of the lake, then these animals scare weaker animal(s) (closest lower number) while they are drinking. The player picks all the cards from the weaker animal off the board and puts them face down in front of her/him. Each card is worth 1 point, and whoever has the most points wins.
Categories
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- Buró
- Siam Board Games
- Mandoo Games
- Reflexshop
- MIPL
- Goliath Games
- PaperGames (III)
- YaoPlay
- Gap Times
- 游隙时光
- Gen-X Games (GenX)
- Helvetiq
- HRAS
- Pakufuda Store
- Fabrika Igr
- Sugorokuya
Questions and answers
Kariba 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 Kariba is 15 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 Kariba 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.
Kariba 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.
Kariba belongs to these categories: Card Game and Children's Game. Its main mechanics are Hand Management and Rock-Paper-Scissors. 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 Kariba are: Reiner Knizia. 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 Kariba 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.