- BGG rank
- BGG #110
- BGG rating
- 7.8
SCOUT
- 2–5 players
- 20 min
- Complexity 1.4/5
- 2019
- BGG rank
- BGG #14,309
- BGG rating
- 6.1
Matchstick Tycoon
2025
Rules assistance for Matchstick Tycoon
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–8 players
- 20 min
- 8+
- Complexity 1.2/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for Matchstick Tycoon
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Matchstick Tycoon is a board game released in 2025 for 2–8 players, 20 minutes per game, and ages 8 and up. It was designed by ウナム日月 (Unamu Hizuki) and its main mechanics are Ladder Climbing.
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About the game
In マッチ売りの大富豪 (Matchstick Tycoon), you want to be the first player to ditch your cards and your matchsticks. Each player starts with one matchstick and a hand of cards, with cards going from 0 (low) to 8, then from A to F (high). The first player in a round plays one or more cards of the same strength, and each player in turn either plays the same number of cards of a higher strength or passes; when a player passes, they take a matchstick from the reserve, but they can play again if the round doesn't end before their next turn. When all players pass in turn, clear the cards, then whoever played last starts a new round. You can use matchsticks to modify the value of your cards, and you can play cards with either end up, so a 6 can become an 8 by adding one matchstick to it, a 6 can become a 9 by flipping it, and a 1 can become an F by flipping it and adding two matchsticks. If a player plays five cards of the same suit, a revolution takes place, and F is immediately the lowest value and 0 the highest. When a player has no cards and no matchsticks remaining, they win. (If a player ditches all their cards but still has matchsticks, on each of their subsequent turns, they discard one matchstick.) Keep playing to determine all players' ranks.
Questions and answers
Matchstick Tycoon supports 2–8 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 Matchstick Tycoon 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 Matchstick Tycoon 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.
Matchstick Tycoon has a complexity rating of 1.2 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.
Matchstick Tycoon belongs to these categories: Card Game. Its main mechanics are Ladder Climbing. 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 Matchstick Tycoon are: ウナム日月 (Unamu Hizuki). 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 Matchstick Tycoon 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.