- BGG rank
- BGG #4,419
- BGG rating
- 6.6
Overseers
- 3–6 players
- 30–45 min
- Complexity 2.0/5
- 2015
- BGG rank
- BGG #16,816
- BGG rating
- 6.0
Office 21
2013
Rules assistance for Office 21
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–5 players
- 10 min
- 8+
- Complexity 1.5/5
Rules assistant for Office 21
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Office 21 is a board game released in 2013 for 2–5 players, 10 minutes per game, and ages 8 and up. It was designed by Guan Chih Huang and its main mechanics are Hand Management and Set Collection.
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About the game
In Office 21, players take the role of CEO and try to maximize their profits without going over the governmental set limit of 21K. To win, players must figure out how best to play different characters and their special abilities. Players start with three character cards in hand. On a player's turn, she draws back to three cards in hand, then must play one card without exceeding the 21K limit after activating the power of that character; if she can't play a card without busting 21, she's out of the game. When a player reaches 21K, all other players have one final turn to stop her — but if her profit still remains at 21K, she wins. If no more cards remain in the draw deck, whoever has the highest profit total in their play zone and is still in the game wins. There's also a chance that the player with the lowest profit wins...
Categories
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- Swan Panasia Co., Ltd.
- Smiling Monster Games
- Table Friends
Questions and answers
Office 21 supports 2–5 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 Office 21 is 10 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 Office 21 for ages 8 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.
Office 21 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.
Office 21 belongs to these categories: Card Game. Its main mechanics are Hand Management and Set Collection. 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 Office 21 are: Guan Chih Huang. 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 Office 21 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.