
- BGG rank
- BGG #10,801
- BGG rating
- 7.1
Wildstyle
- 2–5 players
- 40 min
- Complexity 1.7/5
- 2022

2025
Rules assistance for Katmai: The Bears of Brooks River
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.

For 2 players
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Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Katmai: The Bears of Brooks River is a board game released in 2025 for 2 players, 30 minutes per game, and ages 14 and up. It was designed by Peter Ridgeway and its main mechanics are Hand Management, Area Majority / Influence, and End Game Bonuses.
Katmai: The Bears of Brooks River is a dynamic two-player card game of competitive area control, careful planning, and very hungry bears. Every summer, dozens of ravenous brown bears descend upon the majestic Brooks River in the Katmai region of Alaska. Here they gorge themselves on its summer bounty of salmon that swim up the beautiful, glacial-fed rivers of the Alaskan wilderness. In Katmai, you will be playing bears to advantageous fishing spots along Brooks River in order to gain dominance, satisfy challenges, and catch delicious salmon. As the fishing spots fill up, you will need to choose your bears carefully, triggering unique abilities that will allow you to take advantage of situations and outwit your hungry opponent. Katmai weaves together simple mechanisms with rich decision making to create an experience that is contemplative, competitive, and tense. Winter approaches, and the wilderness is yours. It's time to feast! —description from the publisher
Katmai: The Bears of Brooks River 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 Katmai: The Bears of Brooks River 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 Katmai: The Bears of Brooks River for ages 14 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.
Katmai: The Bears of Brooks River has a complexity rating of 2.3 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-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.
Katmai: The Bears of Brooks River belongs to these categories: Card Game and Animals. Its main mechanics are Hand Management, Area Majority / Influence, and End Game Bonuses. 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 Katmai: The Bears of Brooks River are: Peter Ridgeway. 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 Katmai: The Bears of Brooks River 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.