- BGG rating
- 7.5
Rats of Wistar: Guest Mice Set
- 1–4 players
- 90 min
- Complexity 3.5/5
- 2023
- BGG rank
- BGG #920
- BGG rating
- 7.5
Rats of Wistar
2023
Rules assistance for Rats of Wistar
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 1–4 players
- 90 min
- 13+
- Complexity 3.4/5
For 1 player
Rules assistant for Rats of Wistar
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Rats of Wistar is a board game released in 2023 for 1–4 players, 90 minutes per game, and ages 13 and up. It was designed by Simone Luciani and Danilo Sabia and its main mechanics are Hand Management, Variable Set-up, and Events.
Expansions
- BGG rating
- 7.6
Rats of Wistar: Objective Cards Set
- 1–4 players
- 90 min
- 2023
- BGG rating
- 7.1
Rats of Wistar: Clans & Portals
- 1–4 players
- 90 min
- 2026
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About the game
In Rats of Wistar, you play the role of one of the four rats who organized the escape from a lab. As such, you will have to lead your family to prove that you are the most deserving of leading the entire colony. Thanks to your extraordinary skills, you will be able to explore the Farm until you reach the pantry to be able to grab the appetizing cheese; exploiting the artifacts abandoned by humans at the edge of the Wood, you will create new inventions and expand your lair under the trees, digging new rooms and building new beds. You will meet native rats and mice that you will welcome into your family, and when necessary, you will visit the Alchemist mouse to gain some extra advantage. The game takes place over 5 rounds (equal to the 5 days in which the challenge takes place) and you will earn victory points (VPs) as follows: build beds, excavation rooms, by solving missions within the Farm, welcome host mice, build new Inventions, claim Achievements. At the end of the game, the player with the most VPs wins. In case of a tie, the player furthest in the turn order wins. Note: Rats of Wistar is not affiliated, associated, authorized, endorsed by, or in any way officially connected with The Wistar Institute of Anatomy and Biology. —description from the publisher
Categories
Designers
Publishers
- Game Harbor
- Maldito Games
- Portal Games
- Intrafin Games
- Grok Games
- Cranio Creations
- CrowD Games
- TLAMA games
- PD-Verlag
- Capstone Games
- HIT Games
- DSV Games
Questions and answers
Rats of Wistar supports 1–4 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 Rats of Wistar is 90 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 Rats of Wistar for ages 13 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.
Rats of Wistar has a complexity rating of 3.4 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-weight 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.
Rats of Wistar belongs to these categories: Animals. Its main mechanics are Hand Management, Variable Set-up, and Events. 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 Rats of Wistar are: Simone Luciani and Danilo Sabia. 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 Rats of Wistar 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.