
- BGG rank
- BGG #655
- BGG rating
- 7.1
Jamaica
- 2–6 players
- 30–60 min
- Complexity 1.7/5
- 2007

2008
Rules assistance for Kimaloé
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
For 3 players

What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Kimaloé is a board game released in 2008 for 3–4 players, 30–45 minutes per game, and ages 8 and up. It was designed by Sébastien Pauchon, Dominique Ehrhard, and Malcolm Braff and its main mechanics are Hand Management, Roll / Spin and Move, and Area Majority / Influence.
Kimaloé is the 3rd game from Gameworks Sàrl, after Animalia and Jamaica. As its two predecessors, it is a contract game, this time designed for the Swiss NGO Terre des Hommes and with Children's Rights as background theme. Kimaloé is a family-oriented game with a flavor of majority and a twist in the scoring system, each player having to manage two scoring pawns that can't be too far away from each other at any given time. Thanks to that little twist, winning the game is more challenging that might appear at first sight. Release date is 20th November 2008 during the Universal Children's Day.
Kimaloé supports 3–4 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 Kimaloé is 30–45 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 Kimaloé for ages 8 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.
Kimaloé has a complexity rating of 1.8 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.
The main mechanics of Kimaloé are Hand Management, Roll / Spin and Move, and Area Majority / Influence. Mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns, such as rolling dice, drafting cards or placing workers. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you enjoyed Kimaloé and want something comparable.
The credited designers of Kimaloé are: Sébastien Pauchon, Dominique Ehrhard, and Malcolm Braff. 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 Kimaloé 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.