
- BGG rank
- BGG #5,255
- BGG rating
- 6.2
La Strada
- 2–4 players
- 30 min
- Complexity 1.8/5
- 2004

2011
Rules assistance for Node
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.
Node is a board game released in 2011 for 2–4 players, 15 minutes per game, and ages 10 and up. It was designed by Jordan Booth, John Gosling, and Joe Locastro and its main mechanics are Area Majority / Influence, Tile Placement, and Modular Board.
Node is a card game in which players take the role of hackers uncovering and tagging a corporate server. Each turn players place cards to build up the game board by overlapping squares of like color. Each card has a grid of 2x3 squares with two of the five colors represented. If a player expands an area of color to be the largest number of squares on the board (of that color), they then claim it with a control marker. Whoever controls the most colors when the last card is played wins – or you can lock out your opponent and immediately win the game by capturing all five colors at once!
Node 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 Node is 15 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 Node 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.
Node 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.
Node belongs to these categories: Card Game and Abstract Strategy. Its main mechanics are Area Majority / Influence, Tile Placement, and Modular Board. 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 Node are: Jordan Booth, John Gosling, and Joe Locastro. 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 Node 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.