- BGG rank
- BGG #12,390
- BGG rating
- 6.1
Im Auftrag des Königs
- 2–4 players
- 30 min
- Complexity 2.1/5
- 2004
- BGG rank
- BGG #25,211
- BGG rating
- 5.7
Life Is Life
2016
Rules assistance for Life Is Life
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 3–5 players
- 30 min
- 8+
- Complexity 1.3/5
For 3 players
Rules assistant for Life Is Life
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Life Is Life is a board game released in 2016 for 3–5 players, 30 minutes per game, and ages 8 and up. It was designed by Lorenz Kutschke and its main mechanics are Hand Management, Set Collection, and Player Elimination.
Similar games
- BGG rank
- BGG #11,146
- BGG rating
- 6.4
Dream Islands
- 2–4 players
- 30 min
- Complexity 1.7/5
- 2016
- BGG rank
- BGG #12,793
- BGG rating
- 8.2
Cocktail
- 2–9 players
- 15–45 min
- Complexity 1.3/5
- 2021
- BGG rank
- BGG #25,801
- BGG rating
- 5.5
Blitz
- 2–10 players
- 10–30 min
- Complexity 1.1/5
- BGG rank
- BGG #28,027
- BGG rating
- 5.6
Penguin Brawl: Heroes of Pentarctica
- 2–8 players
- 20–90 min
- Complexity 1.3/5
- 2018
- BGG rank
- BGG #14,564
- BGG rating
- 6.5
Stampede
- 2–6 players
- 20 min
- Complexity 1.4/5
- 2020
- BGG rank
- BGG #16,736
- BGG rating
- 6.6
Capitán Bacon
- 2–6 players
- 5–20 min
- Complexity 1.5/5
- 2022
- BGG rank
- BGG #18,232
- BGG rating
- 7.1
Kombo Afrika
- 2–4 players
- 20–40 min
- Complexity 2.0/5
- 2019
- BGG rank
- BGG #22,947
- BGG rating
- 6.4
Goatfish
- 2–5 players
- 10–20 min
- Complexity 1.0/5
- 2017
- BGG rank
- BGG #2,319
- BGG rating
- 6.6
You're Bluffing!
- 3–5 players
- 45 min
- Complexity 1.6/5
- 1985
- BGG rank
- BGG #9,619
- BGG rating
- 7.1
Survival of the Fattest
- 1–4 players
- 45–90 min
- Complexity 2.8/5
- 2024
- BGG rank
- BGG #13,593
- BGG rating
- 6.3
Mini DiverCity
- 1–7 players
- 15–20 min
- Complexity 1.5/5
- 2018
About the game
Every player starts Life Is Life with five life cards, and things only go downhill from there. To set up a round, shuffle the sixty-card deck, deal ten cards face down to each player, then place ten cards face up on the table in four rows, with the rows holding 1-4 cards. The deck consists of animal cards, with nine giraffe cards, eight bear cards, seven each mole and goat, and so on down to three mouse cards. On a turn, a player either swaps 1-4 cards in hand with the face-up row that contains the same number of cards or knocks on the table to signal the end of the round; when a player knocks, each other player can make one final swap or also knock. Players then compare cards in hand to see who holds a majority of each type of animal. If a player holds more giraffe cards than each other player, for example, then that player keeps one giraffe card (worth 9 points as nine such cards are in the game) while all other giraffe cards are discarded. (A player can hold a majority by having one card and no one else having any cards.) After all animal types are compared, whoever has the most points loses no life cards; whoever has the fewest points loses two life cards; and whoever has a total between these extremes loses one life card. Alternatively, if during a round a player collects all four cats or all five rabbits or pigs in hand, that player can end the round immediately, with all other players losing one life card. If a player runs out of life cards, they're out of the game. At the end of a round, shuffle the cards and play again. Whoever last clings to life wins!
Designers
Publishers
- Nürnberger-Spielkarten-Verlag
- White Goblin Games
Questions and answers
Life Is Life supports 3–5 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 Life Is Life 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 Life Is Life 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.
Life Is Life has a complexity rating of 1.3 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.
Life Is Life belongs to these categories: Card Game and Animals. Its main mechanics are Hand Management, Set Collection, and Player Elimination. 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 Life Is Life are: Lorenz Kutschke. 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 Life Is Life 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.