
- BGG rank
- BGG #4,360
- BGG rating
- 6.6
Yōkai
- 2–4 players
- 15–35 min
- Complexity 1.6/5
- 2019

2023
Rules assistance for Ratapolis
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.
Ratapolis is a board game released in 2023 for 2–6 players, 30–45 minutes per game, and ages 10 and up. It was designed by Julien Griffon and its main mechanics are Area Majority / Influence, Simultaneous Action Selection, and Modular Board.
You and your family of rats have been living happily in Ratapolis for some time now. Unfortunately, Balthus and his cats are now coming after you. You will strive to survive and, why not, end up on top of the other families in town. In Ratapolis, players try to save as many of their own rats as they can and leave them in the best cheese-awarding building tiles at the end of the game. On a turn, players program two moves, which can be any combination of attacks and/or displacements. They simultaneously reveal their moves and resolve them before the cats randomly invade a building tile, removing said tile and all rats standing there from the game. Some buildings award special powers to the family who controls them.
Ratapolis supports 2–6 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 Ratapolis is 30–45 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 Ratapolis for ages 10 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.
Ratapolis 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.
Ratapolis belongs to these categories: Animals. Its main mechanics are Area Majority / Influence, Simultaneous Action Selection, and Modular Board. 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 Ratapolis are: Julien Griffon. 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 Ratapolis 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.