
- BGG rank
- BGG #1,801
- BGG rating
- 7.5
Light Speed: Arena
- 1–4 players
- 5–15 min
- Complexity 1.1/5
- 2025

2023
Rules assistance for Last Penguin
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.

What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Last Penguin is a board game released in 2023 for 3–6 players, 25 minutes per game, and ages 8 and up. It was designed by Kenta Murayama (ムラヤマ ケンタ) and its main mechanics are Area Majority / Influence, Variable Set-up, and Tile Placement.
Last Penguin is a finger-gymnastic combined with some bluffing. It's a party game where the real fun lies in struggle (?). The rule is straightforward. Be the last one touching the card to claim it. When handling cards, use only your fingers. This means that you must let go of some cards at a certain point to grab another. But how can you tell if it is a bigger fish or a trap?! Players take turns drawing a card, secretly checking what's on it, placing the card anywhere they like on the table, then placing one of their fingers on it and inviting other players to do the same. As more cards are placed on the table, a player might decide to move a finger from one card to another. When only one player has a finger on a card, they claim it and discover what they've won. The player with the most points wins. Here's the catch: Just as some fish are bigger than others, not all cards give you the same points — and sometimes the cards turn out to be penguin's predators instead of delicious fish, costing you points instead. There are also action cards: discarding an acquired card, releasing a finger, or commanding another player to release a finger. One event card is worth +6 points, but if you happen to win the second one, they're together worth -3 points.
Last Penguin supports 3–6 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 Last Penguin is 25 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 Last Penguin 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.
Last Penguin has a complexity rating of 1.0 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.
Last Penguin belongs to these categories: Card Game, Party Game, and Bluffing. Its main mechanics are Area Majority / Influence, Variable Set-up, and Tile Placement. 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 Last Penguin are: Kenta Murayama (ムラヤマ ケンタ). 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 Last Penguin 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.