
- BGG rating
- 7.6
Pakal: New Schemes
- 2–4 players
- 20 min
- 2022

2020
Rules assistance for Pakal
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.
Pakal is a board game released in 2020 for 2–4 players, 20 minutes per game, and ages 8 and up. It was designed by Luca Borsa and Luca Bellini and its main mechanics are Slide / Push, Real-Time, and Pattern Recognition.
Pakal is a real-time sliding-puzzle game in which each player has a 4x4 grid filled with 15 blocks, some of which have a solid color on them and some of which are clear. Each round, an objective card is revealed, then players slide their blocks in their grid, trying to show only the symbols on that card in their grid and hiding any other symbols from view. If you do this before time runs out, you can grab one of the available scoring blocks, then move your token on the scoring track to the next such symbol on the track. Thus, the quicker you solve the puzzle, the more likely you are to grab a block that advances you the farthest. Whenever you cross a red line on the scoring track, you must replace a colored block in your grid with a clear one, thereby making it more difficult for you to solve objective cards in future rounds.
Pakal 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 Pakal 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 Pakal 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.
Pakal has a complexity rating of 1.2 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.
Pakal belongs to these categories: Action / Dexterity, Puzzle, and Real-time. Its main mechanics are Slide / Push, Real-Time, and Pattern Recognition. 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 Pakal are: Luca Borsa and Luca Bellini. 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 Pakal 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.