Rat Trap: Je größer die Gang, desto größer das Durcheinander!
- 4–5 players
- 15–30 min
- 2023
- BGG rank
- BGG #24,276
- BGG rating
- 6.0
Rat Trap
2017
Rules assistance for Rat Trap
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 3–5 players
- 15–30 min
- 8+
- Complexity 1.0/5
For 3 players
Rules assistant for Rat Trap
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Rat Trap is a board game released in 2017 for 3–5 players, 15–30 minutes per game, and ages 8 and up. It was designed by Jean-Claude Pellin and Jens Merkl and its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Push Your Luck, and Dice Rolling.
Expansions
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About the game
In Rat Trap, players make up a rat-pack of burglars who work together to try to score as much cheese as possible while avoiding both traps and cat attacks — but can you really trust your partners in crime? To set up, decks of cards are placed face down on the table, with these decks representing locations that the rats try to search (by drawing from them during the round). You want to find cheese in these decks, but you must also avoid the traps they contain. When it's your turn, you must roll two dice (or in the advanced rules four dice). The dice represent the actions available for this turn: draw cards, steal cards, send the cat to eliminate the competition, heal yourself, etc. Unfortunately, you may not use the dice you roll! You must choose one or two partners to whom you will give the dice. They decide which action they keep for themselves and which action they give back to you, so discuss and choose your partners carefully! Rat Trap is a 15- to 25-minute family game that may also be played with gamers who want a quick and fun game with a bit of treachery in it. The game includes both basic rules and advanced rules, with the latter having more dice for more complicated choices and role cards that give you special abilities during the game. The game also includes a two-player variant.
Designers
Publishers
- TIKI Editions
- Ludolux
Questions and answers
Rat Trap supports 3–5 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 Rat Trap 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 Rat Trap 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.
Rat Trap has a complexity rating of 1.0 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.
Rat Trap belongs to these categories: Card Game, Animals, and Deduction. Its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Push Your Luck, and Dice Rolling. 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 Rat Trap are: Jean-Claude Pellin and Jens Merkl. 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 Rat Trap 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.