- BGG rank
- BGG #5,550
- BGG rating
- 6.7
Monarch
- 2–4 players
- 45 min
- Complexity 1.7/5
- 2015
- BGG rank
- BGG #14,523
- BGG rating
- 6.3
Mad Science Foundation
2016
Rules assistance for Mad Science Foundation
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–4 players
- 30–45 min
- 15+
- Complexity 2.0/5
Rules assistant for Mad Science Foundation
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Mad Science Foundation is a board game released in 2016 for 2–4 players, 30–45 minutes per game, and ages 15 and up. It was designed by Max Seidman and Sharang Biswas and its main mechanics are Set Collection, Open Drafting, and I Cut, You Choose.
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About the game
Throughout the centuries, mad scientists have always encountered the same problem of very limited access to the dangerous resources they require. To solve this problem, the Mad Science Foundation was created. Now these "misunderstood geniuses" can finally get the access they need to the four vital building blocks of mad science: Lasers, Dark Matter, Cryptomium, and Sharks. Unfortunately, for each mad scientist who seeks "funding" from the Mad Science Foundation, there remains the unfortunate fact of life that mad scientists do not play well with others. In the quest for infamy, directors will be bribed, resources will be reallocated, spies will be dispatched, inventions will be sabotaged, and big, ominous buttons will be pressed with catastrophic results. Welcome to the Mad Science Foundation, where everyone is ready to stab you in the back with overly-elaborate backstabbing machines. At heart, Mad Science Foundation is a drafting game. You draft resources to craft wacky inventions and dispatch minions to help with your diabolical plans. Each round, one player controls the Crooked Director for that round. They then separate the available commodities into piles to be drafted. It's up to the scientist controlling the Director to determine the value of whatever resources are available and separate them into piles. Not all piles are created equal! Players then take turns selecting which pile of goodies to grab, with the Director's controller choosing last. Sizing up your competition is key! You know what they need; don't let them have it. Or give them two choices of equal terrible-ness! But each player also has a secret side objective that you may not figure out until it's too late... By crafting new inventions, you might be able to put together an engine of cards that eventually fuel themselves. Perpetual motion in our lifetime! Or perhaps you might stockpile valuable resources for later exploitation. It's all done with the altruistic goals of megalomania and personal glory in mind. What could go wrong?* The Mad Science Foundation is not responsible for stock market crashes, illegal dumping, or tears in the fabric of space-time.
Categories
Designers
Publishers
- Cryptozoic Entertainment
- Don't Panic Games
Questions and answers
Mad Science Foundation supports 2–4 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 Mad Science Foundation is 30–45 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 Mad Science Foundation for ages 15 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.
Mad Science Foundation 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.
Mad Science Foundation belongs to these categories: Card Game and Science Fiction. Its main mechanics are Set Collection, Open Drafting, and I Cut, You Choose. 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 Mad Science Foundation are: Max Seidman and Sharang Biswas. 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 Mad Science Foundation 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.