
- BGG rating
- 7.5
Macaron: Kickstarter Expansion Pack
- 1–5 players
- 2021

2021
Rules assistance for Macaron
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
For 1 player

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Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Macaron is a board game released in 2021 for 1–5 players, 20–30 minutes per game, and ages 10 and up. It was designed by Ta-Te Wu and its main mechanics are Events, Solo / Solitaire Game, and Trick-taking.
To celebrate King Louis' birthday, royal pâtissiers are busy preparing macaron gift boxes for the royal family and guests. At the end of the celebration, the pâtissier who has made the most boxes will win and become the most prestigious pâtissier in France — so you must be watchful for dark currents underneath the cheerful pâtissiers and colorful macarons as an allergen might slip into your box and ruin the pastry. Are you ready to make some macarons? In the 1-5 player trick-taking game Macaron, players are French pâtissiers preparing macaron gift boxes. In every game, a number of rounds will be played, and each round ends when thirteen tricks have been played or a player has prepared at least eight boxes. Players receive victory points (VPs) at the end of the round based on the number of boxes prepared. In more detail, the deck will contain 5-7 suits of macarons based on the number of players, and these macarons are put together into 3-4 groups, e.g., almond and pistachio are in group A, while strawberry and blueberry are in group B. Each round, one group will be determined to be "royal", and the 1-2 suits in that group are trump for the round. In addition, one flavor (not group) of macarons will be the allergen for the round. Standard trick-taking rules are used, with the leading player being allowed to play anything and with other players needing to follow suit. Whoever wins the trick scores 1 box — or 3 boxes if the trick was won with a 1. If a trick contains an allergen, then no boxes are scored, except if the trick also contains a 2, which negates the allergen. Players track boxes won on a scoring track, and they also use this board at the start of a round to bet on the number of tricks they expect to win, with players winning or losing points based on how well their bet matches reality. Macaron lasts a number of rounds until someone passes the VP threshold established at the start of the game. The solo rules have you compete against an AI player, Emma, who follows particular rules for deciding what to play.
Macaron supports 1–5 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 Macaron is 20–30 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 Macaron for ages 10 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.
Macaron has a complexity rating of 2.0 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-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.
Macaron belongs to these categories: Card Game and Renaissance. Its main mechanics are Events, Solo / Solitaire Game, and 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 Macaron are: Ta-Te Wu. 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 Macaron 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.