- BGG rating
- 6.9
Rotterdam: Masters of Trade
- 2–4 players
- 90 min
- Complexity 2.7/5
- 2008
- BGG rank
- BGG #19,393
- BGG rating
- 5.9
Rotterdam
2007
Rules assistance for Rotterdam
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–4 players
- 60 min
- 8+
- Complexity 2.0/5
Rules assistant for Rotterdam
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Rotterdam is a board game released in 2007 for 2–4 players, 60 minutes per game, and ages 8 and up. It was designed by Hans van Tol and its main mechanics are Trading and Pick-up and Deliver.
Expansions
Similar games
- BGG rank
- BGG #19,078
- BGG rating
- 6.3
Antwerpen
- 2–4 players
- 60 min
- Complexity 2.0/5
- 2010
- BGG rank
- BGG #4,822
- BGG rating
- 6.6
Opera
- 2–4 players
- 90 min
- Complexity 3.2/5
- 2009
- BGG rank
- BGG #6,228
- BGG rating
- 6.3
Parthenon: Rise of the Aegean
- 3–6 players
- 120 min
- Complexity 3.0/5
- 2005
- BGG rank
- BGG #29,001
- BGG rating
- 5.0
Wangaratta
- 2–6 players
- 60 min
- Complexity 2.0/5
- 1956
- BGG rank
- BGG #11,132
- BGG rating
- 6.6
King of the Valley
- 2–4 players
- 40–60 min
- Complexity 2.1/5
- 2021
- BGG rank
- BGG #28,409
- BGG rating
- 5.4
Seas of Fortune
- 2–4 players
- 45 min
- Complexity 2.0/5
- 2020
- BGG rank
- BGG #3,904
- BGG rating
- 6.9
Windward
- 1–5 players
- 30–90 min
- Complexity 2.4/5
- 2020
- BGG rank
- BGG #25,938
- BGG rating
- 5.7
The Dutch East Indies
- 1–4 players
- 45–90 min
- Complexity 1.9/5
- 2017
- BGG rank
- BGG #1,693
- BGG rating
- 7.1
Merchant of Venus
- 1–6 players
- 180 min
- Complexity 2.8/5
- 1988
- BGG rank
- BGG #22,176
- BGG rating
- 6.4
Petróleo S.A.
- 2–4 players
- 60 min
- Complexity 2.3/5
- 2010
- BGG rank
- BGG #29,542
- BGG rating
- 5.4
Tau Ceti: Planetary Crisis
- 1–5 players
- 60–120 min
- Complexity 3.3/5
- 2017
- BGG rank
- BGG #29,939
- BGG rating
- 5.3
Marco Polo
- 2–4 players
- 60 min
- Complexity 1.8/5
- 1983
About the game
The Harbour of Rotterdam At least 370 million tons of goods are being processed in the Rotterdam Harbour. From South America all sorts of exotic fruits are delivered to the Merwehaven and are being processed to all kinds of fruit juices. The Vulcaanhaven on the edge of Vlaardingen is specially equipped for the transfer or processing of grains from North America. Petroleum comes from the Middle East in large quantities to be transferred in gasoline and chemical products in the raffinaries in the Botlek. Mega carriers transport millions of containers from Asia with all kinds of products to the European market. The infrastructure around the Eemhaven and Waalhaven guarantee a quick transport to Europe. Harbour Tycoon This harbour game gives you the opportunity to be an entrepreneur transporting goods from all parts of the world with ships to the main port Rotterdam. The goods are processed in the different harbours to real products. But it can be quite busy in the harbour! Will you succeed in leading your ships to the right harbours and deliver products like bread, jam, gasoline and clothing to the European market in time? Maybe you will be the new Harbour Tycoon of Rotterdam! Family game and expansion The board game Rotterdam is easy to understand, but has an exciting game play with all the dynamics of the harbour in it. It can be played from 8 years and up. The players will enjoy the basic elements of the harbour: loading cargo, navigating your ships, transfer goods in the harbours and process the goods to products for the European market. Masters of Trade is the expansion to Rotterdam, which brings the economy to the game, introducing factories, more control and new markets. Sequel Rotterdam was the first game in the Ports of Europe series, being followed by Antwerpen in 2010. Expanded by Rotterdam: Masters of Trade.
Categories
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- The Game Master BV
Questions and answers
Rotterdam 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 Rotterdam is 60 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 Rotterdam 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.
Rotterdam has a complexity rating of 2.0 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-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.
Rotterdam belongs to these categories: Economic, Nautical, and Transportation. Its main mechanics are Trading and Pick-up and Deliver. 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 Rotterdam are: Hans van Tol. 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 Rotterdam 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.