
- BGG rank
- BGG #3,772
- BGG rating
- 6.4
Dark Souls: The Board Game
- 1–4 players
- 90–120 min
- Complexity 3.2/5
- 2017

2016
Rules assistance for Shadow Games
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.

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Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Shadow Games is a board game released in 2016 for 2–6 players, 10–15 minutes per game, and ages 14 and up. It was designed by David Carl, Richard Loxam, and Mat Hart and its main mechanics are Take That, Push Your Luck, and Memory.
Game description from the publisher: In Shadow Games, you must gather enough favours to secure the new star player for your guild. Players use various Plot and Agent cards to bribe, steal, and earn favour, but it is not enough to simply play the cards you receive. Fortune favours the bluffers! Play a card from your hand, and call it anything you want. If you convince your opponents of your lies, you will not only reap the rewards of the card you pretended to have but also gain a powerful bluff bonus that will accelerate your victory. Just don’t get caught— it will cost you valuable favours to save face. Set in Guild Ball's devious, backstabbing Empire of the Free Cities, Shadow Games is a fast paced game for 2-6 cunning players. Shadow Games will appeal to all Guild Ball players and any fans of compact, quick-paced card games that involve betraying your friends! Easy to learn and addictive, it's fun for all the family and fast—one game only takes about 15 minutes!
Shadow Games 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 Shadow Games 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 Shadow Games 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.
Shadow Games has a complexity rating of 1.0 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.
Shadow Games belongs to these categories: Card Game and Bluffing. Its main mechanics are Take That, Push Your Luck, and Memory. 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 Shadow Games are: David Carl, Richard Loxam, and Mat Hart. 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 Shadow Games 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.