- BGG rank
- BGG #8,617
- BGG rating
- 6.9
Crazy Race
- 2–5 players
- 30–60 min
- Complexity 1.7/5
- 2017
- BGG rank
- BGG #27,394
- BGG rating
- 5.5
Karnickel
2013
Rules assistance for Karnickel
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
Rules assistant for Karnickel
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Karnickel is a board game released in 2013 for 2–4 players, 15 minutes per game, and ages 6 and up. It was designed by Brett J. Gilbert and its main mechanics are Push Your Luck, Roll / Spin and Move, and Modular Board.
Similar games
- BGG rank
- BGG #11,867
- BGG rating
- 6.6
Snack Rabbits
- 2–4 players
- 20 min
- Complexity 1.3/5
- 2024
- BGG rank
- BGG #16,195
- BGG rating
- 6.0
Fish Frenzy
- 3–5 players
- 20–30 min
- Complexity 1.5/5
- 2016
- BGG rank
- BGG #23,254
- BGG rating
- 5.9
Fleeting Foxes
- 2–4 players
- 10 min
- Complexity 1.0/5
- 2010
- BGG rank
- BGG #18,304
- BGG rating
- 5.9
Daddy Cool
- 2–6 players
- 20 min
- Complexity 1.1/5
- 2004
- BGG rank
- BGG #28,933
- BGG rating
- 5.3
Railroader
- 2–4 players
- 60 min
- Complexity 1.5/5
- 1963
- BGG rank
- BGG #8,397
- BGG rating
- 6.2
Dice Heist
- 2–5 players
- 20 min
- Complexity 1.0/5
- 2016
- BGG rank
- BGG #10,323
- BGG rating
- 6.1
High Risk
- 2–4 players
- 20 min
- Complexity 1.1/5
- 2019
- BGG rank
- BGG #26,296
- BGG rating
- 5.5
Hopp Galopp
- 2–4 players
- 15 min
- Complexity 1.3/5
- 2002
- BGG rank
- BGG #28,880
- BGG rating
- 5.0
Camper Tour
- 2–4 players
- 30 min
- Complexity 1.3/5
- 2007
- BGG rank
- BGG #3,857
- BGG rating
- 6.7
Roll for Adventure
- 2–4 players
- 30 min
- Complexity 2.0/5
- 2018
- BGG rank
- BGG #26,724
- BGG rating
- 5.5
Polar Dare!
- 2–4 players
- 30 min
- Complexity 1.2/5
- 1991
About the game
Everybunny knows that rabbits love the countryside — and carrots, of course! The best carrots of all grow between the train tracks, but you have to keep an eye out for trains! Roll the dice and hop your rabbit to the best carrot patch; as long as you don't need to flee out of the path of the train, you can happily nibble away. Chomp, chomp, chomp... In Karnickel, each player places his rabbit on the circular train track made of eight interchangeable tiles, sets the train engine on its start space, then takes turns rolling the custom dice. After you roll, set any die that shows the "train" out of play, then count up how many times each of the player colors appears on the remaining dice; you must move one of the rabbits (yours or another player's) clockwise around the track the full number of spaces. You then pass the rabbit dice to the next player. Players take turns, each time rolling only the dice passed to them and hopping the rabbits from tile to tile, trying to land on the tiles where they will be able to collect the most carrots. When a player rolls only trains, the rabbit hopping has to stop as the train is ready to move! That player rerolls all seven dice, counts up the number of trains rolled, then moves the train that many spaces around the track. Every rabbit on a tile that the train moves through is scared away by the engine and hops off the track, failing to collect any carrots this time. All rabbits still on the track after the train moves — either because the train didn't reach them or because they were on one of the two tunnel tiles — get to grab 1, 2 or 3 carrots...or maybe lose one — exploding carrots are a risk! Everyone then hops back onto the track, and the next player rolls all the dice to start a new round of play. Whoever has the most carrots when one player has at least eight carrots wins!
Categories
Designers
Publishers
- Lookout Games
Questions and answers
Karnickel 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 Karnickel 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 Karnickel 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.
Karnickel 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.
Karnickel belongs to these categories: Animals, Children's Game, and Dice. Its main mechanics are Push Your Luck, Roll / Spin and Move, and Modular Board. 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 Karnickel are: Brett J. Gilbert. 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 Karnickel 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.