- BGG rating
- 6.4
Kintsugi: Student and Master
- 2–4 players
- 10–15 min
- 2018
- BGG rank
- BGG #12,686
- BGG rating
- 6.5
Kintsugi
2018
Rules assistance for Kintsugi
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–3 players
- 10–15 min
- 8+
- Complexity 1.5/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for Kintsugi
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Kintsugi is a board game released in 2018 for 2–3 players, 10–15 minutes per game, and ages 8 and up. It was designed by Daniel Solis and Mark McGee and its main mechanics are Tile Placement, Storytelling, and Layering.
Expansions
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About the game
A peaceful 2-3 player game of tile laying, with a secret twist. Kintsugi is the Japanese art form of repairing broken pottery with gold lacquer, to show the imperfect history of the object, and to affirm that it is better for having been broken. You are repairing a piece of pottery, then playing the role of an art critic for your opponent. You can win by being a better artist, being a better critic, or both! In true minimalist tradition, the lowest score wins! On your turn, play a card depicting fragments of pottery onto the previously played card to connect fragments together. Try to make your color of pottery connect to make the fewest pieces. But be subtle about it; if your critic (the player to your right) can guess your color, they subtract your score from theirs at the end of the round. Play 1 round per player, adding up scores from each round, and the lowest score wins.
Categories
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- Button Shy
Questions and answers
Kintsugi supports 2–3 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 Kintsugi is 10–15 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 Kintsugi 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.
Kintsugi has a complexity rating of 1.5 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.
Kintsugi belongs to these categories: Card Game, Print & Play, and Deduction. Its main mechanics are Tile Placement, Storytelling, and Layering. 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 Kintsugi are: Daniel Solis and Mark McGee. 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 Kintsugi 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.