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Silver Bullet
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Perpetual-Motion Machine
2010
Rules assistance for Perpetual-Motion Machine
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–4 players
- 45 min
- 8+
- Complexity 1.6/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for Perpetual-Motion Machine
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Perpetual-Motion Machine is a board game released in 2010 for 2–4 players, 45 minutes per game, and ages 8 and up. It was designed by Ted Alspach and its main mechanics are Hand Management and Set Collection.
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About the game
They said it couldn't be done. They were right. Nonetheless, you've been enlisted to help inventor extraordinaire Ted Alspach put the finishing touches on his Perpetual-Motion Machine. Your job is to make the machine as efficient as possible, so that you might fool the unsuspecting public long enough to make Mr. Alspach incredibly rich before he's chased out of town by a crazed mob of very cranky investors. You're pitted against one to three other players who are also looking to get as famous as possible by riding Mr. Alspach's coattails. You'll need cunning, foresight and a bit of luck in order to beat your opponents. Perpetual-Motion Machine is a game of set collection, skill-tree building, and long and short term strategy. Race against other players to build the most efficient machine possible using limited resources. As you build, you'll choose which areas to focus on to ensure victory. Reimplemented by Kniffel: Das Kartenspiel
Categories
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- Bézier Games
Questions and answers
Perpetual-Motion Machine 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 Perpetual-Motion Machine is 45 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 Perpetual-Motion Machine 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.
Perpetual-Motion Machine has a complexity rating of 1.6 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.
Perpetual-Motion Machine belongs to these categories: Card Game and Industry / Manufacturing. 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 Perpetual-Motion Machine are: Ted Alspach. 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 Perpetual-Motion Machine 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.