- BGG rank
- BGG #13,258
- BGG rating
- 6.7
Spyworld
- 2–99 players
- 30 min
- Complexity 2.0/5
- 2026
- BGG rank
- BGG #28,437
- BGG rating
- 5.5
Night of the Grand Octopus
2014
Rules assistance for Night of the Grand Octopus
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 20 min
- 7+
- Complexity 1.4/5
Rules assistant for Night of the Grand Octopus
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Night of the Grand Octopus is a board game released in 2014 for 3–5 players, 20 minutes per game, and ages 7 and up. It was designed by Frédéric Morard and its main mechanics are Set Collection and Simultaneous Action Selection.
Similar games
- BGG rank
- BGG #13,181
- BGG rating
- 6.4
Tales & Games: Jack & the Beanstalk
- 2–5 players
- 20 min
- Complexity 1.2/5
- 2017
- BGG rank
- BGG #154
- BGG rating
- 7.8
Rising Sun
- 3–5 players
- 90–120 min
- Complexity 3.3/5
- 2018
- BGG rank
- BGG #1,896
- BGG rating
- 7.0
Campy Creatures
- 2–5 players
- 20–30 min
- Complexity 1.6/5
- 2017
- BGG rank
- BGG #1,987
- BGG rating
- 6.8
La Habana
- 2–4 players
- 30–45 min
- Complexity 2.2/5
- 2009
- BGG rank
- BGG #2,282
- BGG rating
- 6.5
Hoity Toity
- 2–5 players
- 45 min
- Complexity 1.9/5
- 1990
- BGG rank
- BGG #2,319
- BGG rating
- 6.6
You're Bluffing!
- 3–5 players
- 45 min
- Complexity 1.6/5
- 1985
- BGG rank
- BGG #2,995
- BGG rating
- 6.9
Edel, Stein & Reich
- 3–5 players
- 60 min
- Complexity 2.1/5
- 2003
- BGG rank
- BGG #3,212
- BGG rating
- 6.4
Go Nuts for Donuts
- 2–6 players
- 20 min
- Complexity 1.1/5
- 2017
- BGG rank
- BGG #3,475
- BGG rating
- 6.7
Crossing
- 3–6 players
- 15 min
- Complexity 1.1/5
- 2013
- BGG rank
- BGG #3,526
- BGG rating
- 6.7
Kuhhandel Master
- 2–6 players
- 60 min
- Complexity 1.8/5
- 2009
- BGG rank
- BGG #3,941
- BGG rating
- 6.5
Senji
- 3–6 players
- 90 min
- Complexity 3.0/5
- 2008
About the game
Long ago, the Grand Octopus, one filled with cosmically divine powers, reigned over the entire world — until an unfortunate combination of circumstances imprisoned it at the bottom of the ocean. Idle under miles of water, it fell asleep dreaming of the day when its time would come once again. In Night of the Grand Octopus, you are one of the Elect and have been recruited by the Illuminati to form a cult to glorify the tentacled one. What's more, your dreams have told you that the time has come, the stars have aligned so that you can perform the "Ritual of Appeal" and bring the Grand Octopus to surface once again. To perform the ritual, however, you need the right magical components, components to be found in a famous English university for young wizards and witches — and you're not the only one seeking them. In each round, players secretly place their cultist and monster tokens on locations, then reveal those locations at the same time. If only one cultist group occupies a location, that cult gains strength — but if two or more cults want the same spot, they must negotiate or both lose cult strength. If, on the other hand, a rival monster occupies the location, the cultist is eliminated. Gulp!
Editions
- Night of the Grand OctopusenIELLO2014
- La Nuit du Grand PoulpefrSuperlude Éditions2014
Categories
Designers
Publishers
- IELLO
- Superlude Éditions
Questions and answers
Night of the Grand Octopus 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 Night of the Grand Octopus 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 Night of the Grand Octopus for ages 7 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.
Night of the Grand Octopus has a complexity rating of 1.4 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.
Night of the Grand Octopus belongs to these categories: Bluffing. Its main mechanics are Set Collection 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 Night of the Grand Octopus are: Frédéric Morard. 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 Night of the Grand Octopus 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.