
- BGG rank
- BGG #435
- BGG rating
- 7.5
Dead of Winter: The Long Night
- 2–5 players
- 60–120 min
- Complexity 3.3/5
- 2016

2019
Rules assistance for Mental Blocks
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
For 2 players

What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Mental Blocks is a board game released in 2019 for 2–9 players, 10–20 minutes per game, and ages 10 and up. It was designed by Jonathan Gilmour-Long and Micah Sawyer and its main mechanics are Cooperative Game, Three Dimensional Movement, and Team-Based Game.
Mental Blocks is a game of puzzling perspectives, with players trying to complete a puzzle using oversized foam blocks, despite seeing only one perspective of the design. You have to co-operate to complete the puzzle as a team, but you have a time limit, so don't just sit around staring at the pieces. In addition to the time pressure, players have other challenges, such as not being able to talk or to touch certain color blocks. Mental Blocks features sixty puzzles: thirty "family mode" puzzles and thirty "challenge mode" puzzles that ramp in difficulty. For an even wilder game, you can add a traitor to the table to block your block-building...
Mental Blocks supports 2–9 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 Mental Blocks is 10–20 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 Mental Blocks 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.
Mental Blocks has a complexity rating of 1.5 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.
The main mechanics of Mental Blocks are Cooperative Game, Three Dimensional Movement, and Team-Based Game. Mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns, such as rolling dice, drafting cards or placing workers. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you enjoyed Mental Blocks and want something comparable.
The credited designers of Mental Blocks are: Jonathan Gilmour-Long and Micah Sawyer. 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 Mental Blocks 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.