
- BGG rank
- BGG #2,659
- BGG rating
- 6.9
Master of Orion: The Board Game
- 2–4 players
- 40–60 min
- Complexity 2.4/5
- 2016

2023
Rules assistance for NEON
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.
NEON is a board game released in 2023 for 2–6 players, 60–120 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Ekaterina Gorn and Igor Sklyuev and its main mechanics are Player Elimination, Area Movement, and Simultaneous Action Selection.
Neon is a fast-paced combat game, where you become a Fighter competing in the Tournament. It is held at the very heart of a ghost city named Neo Nagoya on behalf of your Corporation. For several rounds you shall battle Fighters of other companies while exploring various Sectors of the city and searching for new weapons and armor. At the end of each round, some Sectors will submerge, so make sure to choose the safest ones to stay on. To win the Tournament you must carefully plan your actions as well as calculate the benefits of using your unique abilities and Sectors’ features. There are 3 Game Modes: 1. Resurrection The Fighter to score the most Victory Points wins. 2. Squad The Team to score the most Victory Points wins. 3. Battle Royale The last Fighter to survive wins. The game is played over a series of Rounds. Each Round consists of 4 Phases: 1) Choosing cards Players choose 2 Action cards from their hand and create a combination of 3 Actions. The visible number of the combination determines turn order. 2) Actions There are the following options: > Move your Fighter to an adjacent sector > Search (draw Equipment cards – they help you attack and defend yourself) > Attack (Choose a target, use your Equipment cards and roll dice. Your target rolls dice for defense.) > Defense (Adjust Force Field to your Fighter, each half of it gives you +1 dice for defense) > Takeover (Take the Leader token) > Gain Energy 3) End of game check The last round or the last Fighter to survive. 4) Submersion 1 or 2 Sectors are removed and the Arena adjusts. The players who were on the submerged Sectors get damage. -description from publisher
NEON supports 2–6 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 NEON is 60–120 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 NEON for ages 12 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.
NEON 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.
NEON belongs to these categories: Fighting, Dice, and Video Game Theme. Its main mechanics are Player Elimination, Area Movement, and Simultaneous Action Selection. 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 NEON are: Ekaterina Gorn and Igor Sklyuev. 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 NEON 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.