
- BGG rank
- BGG #3,768
- BGG rating
- 7.4
Fountains
- 1–5 players
- 30–45 min
- Complexity 2.3/5
- 2025

2024
Rules assistance for Shadow Ninjas
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
For 2 players

What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Shadow Ninjas is a board game released in 2024 for 2–5 players, 10–20 minutes per game, and ages 8 and up. It was designed by Kedric Winks and its main mechanics are Dice Rolling, Line of Sight, and Hidden Movement.
Shadow Ninjas is a hidden movement, one versus many game. All the Ninja players are allowed to move any of the shadow tokens, some of which hide the Ninjas of individual players. This means players can accidentally - or not so accidentally - move other players’ tokens into danger or away from victory. To be a Ninja player, you will need a good poker face and an ability to bluff so that no one can guess which shadow hides your Ninja. To be a Guard player, you must be prepared to be outnumbered, but not overwhelmed, by all of the shadows that need to be investigated to protect the Shogun’s prized koi carp. —description from the designer
Shadow Ninjas supports 2–5 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 Shadow Ninjas is 10–20 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 Ninjas 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.
Shadow Ninjas 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.
Shadow Ninjas belongs to these categories: Maze. Its main mechanics are Dice Rolling, Line of Sight, and Hidden Movement. 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 Ninjas are: Kedric Winks. 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 Ninjas 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.