
- BGG rank
- BGG #1,860
- BGG rating
- 7.2
Joraku
- 3–4 players
- 30–60 min
- Complexity 2.2/5
- 2015

2025
Rules assistance for Lunar Trick
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.
Lunar Trick is a board game released in 2025 for 3–4 players, 20 minutes per game, and ages 8 and up. It was designed by Iori Tsukinami (月並いおり) and its main mechanics are Trick-taking.
In Lunar Trick / ルナトリック, you need to win exactly one, three, or five tricks in a round to score points — and to collect tricks, you need to manage the phases of the moon. To start a round with three players, deal ten cards to each player and set the remaining card aside. Cards are 1-15 (rising moon), 16-30 (falling moon), and the lunar eclipse card. Each player reveals a numbered card at the same time to determine the trump and three suits. For example, if rising moon had more cards played, then it's trump. If the cards are, e.g., 5, 12, and 24, then the three suits are 6-11, 13-23, and 25-30+1-4. Whoever played the highest card of these three collects this trick, then leads the next one. You must follow suit, if possible, or play the lunar eclipse card. If any trump is played in a trick, then the highest trump wins; if no trump is played, then the lunar eclipse wins; otherwise the highest non-trump wins. (The lunar eclipse card counts as a trick on its own, apart from the other cards won.) Whoever wins one or five tricks scores 2 points, and whoever wins three tricks scores 1 point. Play multiple rounds until someone has at least 5 points and wins. With four players, add the solar eclipse card to the deck. Whoever gets this in hand must play it during the first trick; they win this card, which counts as a trick, then determine trump and suits based on the other three cards, with the highest card winning that trick.
Lunar Trick 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 Lunar Trick 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 Lunar Trick 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.
Lunar Trick has a complexity rating of 1.7 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.
Lunar Trick belongs to these categories: Card Game. Its main mechanics are Trick-taking. 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 Lunar Trick are: Iori Tsukinami (月並いおり). 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 Lunar Trick 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.