
- BGG rank
- BGG #1,326
- BGG rating
- 7.1
Cahoots
- 1–4 players
- 20 min
- Complexity 1.1/5
- 2018

2020
Rules assistance for Ripple Rush
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
For 1 player

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Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Ripple Rush is a board game released in 2020 for 1–5 players, 10–15 minutes per game, and ages 14 and up. It was designed by Ken Gruhl and its main mechanics are Paper-and-Pencil.
How many spaces can you fill on your scoresheet in Ripple Rush, a quick and simple flip-and-write game? In the game, you have your own player sheet, which shows four columns of symbols (square, circle, triangle, hexagon), with eight symbols in each column. To set up the game, adjust the deck so that it contains twenty cards per player, with the cards being chosen at random. The full deck contains one hundred cards, with 25 cards for each symbol numbered 1-25. On a turn, each player draws a card from the deck, then (if possible) you write the number on that card in the column matching the depicted symbol. Numbers must be placed in columns in ascending order so that within each column each number is higher than whatever is below it and lower than whatever is above it, but you can skip spaces in the columns when entering a number. If you can't place your card's number on your player sheet in the proper column — e.g., you draw a blue 14 and you have no open spaces between a blue 11 and a blue 15 — announce this to everyone before they write down the number on their own card and place your card in the center of the table. After they write their own number, they can also write your number on their score sheet, if possible. If you complete a row of symbols, then you immediately get the bonus shown on the left edge of the player sheet, either a number (5, 10, 15, 20) that you can write in any valid column or a symbol that you can fill with any valid number. At game's end, for each column you score points equal to your longest connected sequence of filled-in spaces. In the advanced variant, you draw two of the eight bonus cards, each of which shows one of the rows on the player sheet; for each of these two rows that you fill in completely, you score bonus points.
Ripple Rush supports 1–5 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 Ripple Rush is 10–15 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 Ripple Rush for ages 14 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.
Ripple Rush 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.
Ripple Rush belongs to these categories: Number. Its main mechanics are Paper-and-Pencil. 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 Ripple Rush are: Ken Gruhl. 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 Ripple Rush 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.