- BGG rank
- BGG #2,758
- BGG rating
- 6.9
Il Vecchio
- 2–4 players
- 60 min
- Complexity 2.6/5
- 2012
- BGG rank
- BGG #6,123
- BGG rating
- 6.5
Mercado
2018
Rules assistance for Mercado
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–4 players
- 30 min
- 10+
- Complexity 1.9/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for Mercado
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Mercado is a board game released in 2018 for 2–4 players, 30 minutes per game, and ages 10 and up. It was designed by Rüdiger Dorn and its main mechanics are Race, Auction / Bidding, and End Game Bonuses.
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About the game
Welcome to the market of beautiful things! As well-to-do citizens in Mercado, gamers wander around the stalls, always on the lookout for special items to enhance their reputation. Noble shawls, elegant jewelry, or golden trophies — with such a selection, the decision is difficult. But those who do not carry matching coins can also be unlucky because the other players have the same goal and might grab the valuable items from under your nose. In more detail, different market stalls, each with one product, are laid out as panels in the center of the table. Each player has a personal bag containing different coins. On a turn, you draw three coins from it blind and place them at the market tables of your choice. If a player has paid all the necessary coins of a product, they receive the board and thereby increase their reputation. Some tablets bring extra privileges or seals, others bring counterfeit money that might wander into a bag. Who can buy the most valuable goods?
Categories
Designers
Publishers
- Piatnik
- KOSMOS
- White Goblin Games
Questions and answers
Mercado 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 Mercado is 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 Mercado 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.
Mercado has a complexity rating of 1.9 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.
Mercado belongs to these categories: Economic and Renaissance. Its main mechanics are Race, Auction / Bidding, and End Game Bonuses. 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 Mercado are: Rüdiger Dorn. 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 Mercado 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.