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- BGG rating
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Fairy Tale
- 2–5 players
- 30 min
- Complexity 1.8/5
- 2004
- BGG rank
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- BGG rating
- 6.0
Masquerade
2003
Rules assistance for Masquerade
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 3–5 players
- 90 min
- 10+
- Complexity 2.3/5
For 3 players
Rules assistant for Masquerade
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Masquerade is a board game released in 2003 for 3–5 players, 90 minutes per game, and ages 10 and up. It was designed by Satoshi Nakamura and its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Hand Management, and Role Playing.
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About the game
This Japanese fantasy card game (with English rules and translation on the cards) has each player take control of a powerful entity that tries to take over a fantasy/manga-themed world. Each player assumes a secret mask with hidden VP-bonus and sends out a "dancer" to fulfill various functions at 6 different "stages" (or rather "adventure places"). Players can try to accumulate spell cards, heal, trigger events, fight monsters for treasure, or fight other players for VP's. The spell cards are musically themed with names like "Nocturne" or "Fugue". The game uses a small deck of (very sturdy) cards, and the assortment of game elements allows for a variety of strategies. Although the game utilizes relatively few luck elements, it becomes chaotic through the many different effects of the cards and the variable dancer powers.
Designers
Publishers
- Z-Man Games
- Yuhodo, Inc.
Questions and answers
Masquerade 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 Masquerade is 90 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 Masquerade 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.
Masquerade has a complexity rating of 2.3 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.
Masquerade belongs to these categories: Card Game, Fantasy, and Fighting. Its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Hand Management, and Role Playing. 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 Masquerade are: Satoshi Nakamura. 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 Masquerade 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.