- BGG rank
- BGG #4,396
- BGG rating
- 6.4
Good & Bad Ghosts
- 2 players
- 15 min
- Complexity 1.3/5
- 1980
- BGG rank
- BGG #24,883
- BGG rating
- 5.7
Overboard
1977
Rules assistance for Overboard
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2 players
- 15 min
- 8+
- Complexity 1.8/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for Overboard
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Overboard is a board game released in 1977 for 2 players, 15 minutes per game, and ages 8 and up. It was designed by Alex Randolph and its main mechanics are Point to Point Movement and Square Grid.
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About the game
This game is one of a series of 2 player strategy games by Lakeside from the 1970's, also including Blockade, Trespass, and Isolation. In Overboard, the "Slide to Survive" game, the board is a 7x7 grid of squares with slots between them to create a grid of 6x6 or 36 playing positions. There are 36 pieces, 18 red, 18 white, which are placed on the intersections between the squares; they have little knobs which hold them in the slots. On his turn, a player uses one of his pieces to push a row of his opponent's pieces off the board, a la Kuba. The winner is the last player with pieces on the board.
Categories
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- (Unknown)
- Otto Maier Verlag
- Lakeside
- Irisa
Questions and answers
Overboard supports 2 players according to the catalogue. This is the publisher’s listed player count, so the game is designed for exactly that number of participants. Variants for other group sizes, if any, are described in the rulebook of your edition, so check it before setting up a different configuration.
The listed playing time for Overboard 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 Overboard 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.
Overboard 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.
Overboard belongs to these categories: Abstract Strategy. Its main mechanics are Point to Point Movement and Square Grid. 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 Overboard are: Alex Randolph. 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 Overboard 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.