- BGG rank
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- BGG rating
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Tigris & Euphrates
- 2–4 players
- 60–120 min
- Complexity 3.5/5
- 1997
- BGG rank
- BGG #7,859
- BGG rating
- 6.3
Samurai: The Card Game
2009
Rules assistance for Samurai: The Card Game
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–4 players
- 60 min
- 12+
- Complexity 2.1/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for Samurai: The Card Game
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Samurai: The Card Game is a board game released in 2009 for 2–4 players, 60 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Reiner Knizia and its main mechanics are Hand Management, Set Collection, and Tile Placement.
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About the game
Samurai: The Card Game simulates the board game by placing village cards (actually, square tiles) to build out the "board" and then allowing each player to play one of their 5 cards from their hands, drawn from identical player decks. A village (awarding its indicated shape tokens) is scored when 4 cards surround the sides. A new village is placed when two different players cards create a location for it to be placed. The game uses "Knizia" style scoring, where having a dominating majority in a single shape category merely qualifies you for the win, but it is your total in the other two shapes which are compared for winning.
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- Wargames Club Publishing
- Hobby Japan
- ABACUSSPIELE
- Rio Grande Games
Questions and answers
Samurai: The Card Game 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 Samurai: The Card Game 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 Samurai: The Card Game for ages 12 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.
Samurai: The Card Game has a complexity rating of 2.1 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.
Samurai: The Card Game belongs to these categories: Card Game and Medieval. Its main mechanics are Hand Management, Set Collection, and Tile Placement. 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 Samurai: The Card Game are: Reiner Knizia. 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 Samurai: The Card Game 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.