
- BGG rank
- BGG #5,843
- BGG rating
- 7.0
All-Star Draft
- 2–6 players
- 45 min
- Complexity 2.3/5
- 2021

2022
Rules assistance for Lemur Tails
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
For 2 players

What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Lemur Tails is a board game released in 2022 for 2 players, 20 minutes per game, and ages 8 and up. It was designed by Kris van der Werve and its main mechanics are Hand Management, Pattern Building, and Market.
Lemur Tails is a two player card game where you try to create the longest tails by alternating black and white tail cards. The longer the tail, the better. Sounds easy enough, but you both create two tails and win if your shorter tail is longer than that of your opponent. So use the numbered tail cards to create two long tails and strategically use the joker cards and the sun worshipping lemurs. Only when you combine these factors, can you create the longest short tail and win. Every player has two lemurs, both of which have their own tail (of course). The aim of the game is to extend both these tails by adding tail cards. In your turn you can therefore add tail cards or you could use sun worshipping Lemurs for special abilities, or you can do both. When you want to extend a tail, you need alternate between black and white cards and have the right number on the tail card. You can only add a tail card that is +1, -1 or the same number as the previous card (and it has to be the opposing color). There are also joker cards that can be used, where only the color has to be correct. When you want to use sun worshipping Lemurs, you need to make sure you actually have them. You start with two, and can get more by adding at least three tails cards at once to a tail. Now what special abilities do these Lemurs have? They will allow you to take a card from the open market, take the last card from the tail of your opponent, take a random card from the hand of your opponent or discard and replace up to three of your hand cards. The key notion to keep in mind, is that you win by having the longest shortest tail. So don’t focus on one tail but extend both of them for the win. —description from the publisher
Lemur Tails 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 Lemur Tails is 20 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 Lemur Tails 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.
Lemur Tails 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.
Lemur Tails belongs to these categories: Card Game, Animals, and Number. Its main mechanics are Hand Management, Pattern Building, and Market. 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 Lemur Tails are: Kris van der Werve. 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 Lemur Tails 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.