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Cat Blues: The Big Gig
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Paws Up
2025
Rules assistance for Paws Up
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–5 players
- 15–30 min
- 8+
- Complexity 1.3/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for Paws Up
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Paws Up is a board game released in 2025 for 2–5 players, 15–30 minutes per game, and ages 8 and up. It was designed by Reiner Knizia and its main mechanics are Set Collection, Auction / Bidding, and Connections.
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About the game
In the card game Paws Up, players are pet influencers who try to collect the most "paws" with their photos and stories. Each player starts with five photo cards in hand, with each card having a small number of paws, which are the points in this game. Each turn, reveal three cards from the deck, then players simultaneously choose and reveal a card from their hand. Whoever reveals the most valuable card swaps it with one of the cards on display, then the player with the next highest card swaps for one of the three cards, etc. Whenever you have the right combination of cards in hand — that is, three animals of the same type, worth the same amount of paws, or in the same environment — you can claim one of the trophies on display. The earlier you claim a particular trophy, the more valuable it's worth, and while the trophies diminish in value over time, the animals become more valuable as the cards are divided into three decks.
Designers
Publishers
- Pegasus Spiele
- Hobby Japan
Questions and answers
Paws Up 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 Paws Up is 15–30 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 Paws Up 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.
Paws Up has a complexity rating of 1.3 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.
Paws Up belongs to these categories: Card Game and Animals. Its main mechanics are Set Collection, Auction / Bidding, and Connections. 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 Paws Up are: Reiner Knizia. 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 Paws Up 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.