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ONDA
2024
Rules assistance for ONDA
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–5 players
- 30–40 min
- 10+
- Complexity 1.8/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for ONDA
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
ONDA is a board game released in 2024 for 2–5 players, 30–40 minutes per game, and ages 10 and up. It was designed by Arthur Lacerda and its main mechanics are Hand Management and Ladder Climbing.
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About the game
In ONDA, players use cards from their hands to compose wave formations superior to those of their opponents according to the current tide. Your goal is to be the first to play all your cards; failing that, try to have as few cards as possible since you lose points based on what's left in your hand. In more detail, at the start of play the tide is coming in, that is, high numbers are better than low. In each round, each player starts with a hand of cards, placing two cards face down in front of them; these cards are now wild and still considered part of their hand. To start the trick, the lead player plays a formation consisting of a single card, 2-4 cards of the same value, or a sequence of 2-4 cards. Subsequent players can (1) play a better formation — "better" being determined by the tide — (2) pass and be out of the trick, (3) turn the tide by returning one of their face-down cards to their hand, flipping the tide card (so now low numbers are better than high, or vice versa), then playing a better combination, or (4) play a bomb. Six types of bombs exist in ONDA, and the current bomb type is shown on top of the bomb deck. A bomb, e.g., a two-card sequence in the same suit, supersedes the current formation, and once played players must beat this formation instead of the previous one. At most one bomb can be played in a trick, and only one player can turn the tide. Once all but one player have passed in a trick, clear all played cards and move the top bomb card to the bottom of that deck. Whoever last played leads a new formation. Once a player has no cards in hand — regardless of face-down cards on the table — the round ends, and everyone but that player loses points based on their unplayed cards. After four rounds, whoever has the most points wins.
Categories
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- BoardM Factory
- Samba Estudios
Questions and answers
ONDA 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 ONDA is 30–40 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 ONDA 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.
ONDA has a complexity rating of 1.8 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.
ONDA belongs to these categories: Card Game. Its main mechanics are Hand Management and Ladder Climbing. 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 ONDA are: Arthur Lacerda. 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 ONDA 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.