- BGG rank
- BGG #23,492
- BGG rating
- 6.0
Jinks
- 2–4 players
- 30 min
- Complexity 1.0/5
- 2021
- BGG rank
- BGG #28,833
- BGG rating
- 5.1
Silent Planet
2021
Rules assistance for Silent Planet
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–6 players
- 15 min
- 8+
- Complexity 1.0/5
Rules assistant for Silent Planet
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Silent Planet is a board game released in 2021 for 2–6 players, 15 minutes per game, and ages 8 and up. It was designed by Klaus Altenburger and its main mechanics are Cooperative Game and Communication Limits.
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About the game
In Silent Planet, players are given the task of forming alien teams, but they are not allowed to speak to one another in the vacuum of space, so they can solve this task together only by using their non-verbal communication skills. In more detail, the deck consists of 55 alien cards numbered 1-5, with more 1s than 2s, more 2s than 3s, etc. The deck also includes nine Xs, which can stand for any number. At the start of the game, you receive a hand of nine cards. Look at those cards, then arrange them in a face-down row on the table in the order of your choice, then reveal as many cards as you wish. These cards are now out of play, but you can (ideally) use them to convey information about what remains hidden in your row. As a group, you are trying to form alien teams that consist of five cards of all five numbers or five cards of only one number. On a turn, all players but one collectively decide — without saying anything, but using any gestures they wish — which face-down card to reveal in the row of the player who is not taking part in the debate. Once this card is revealed, place it in the center of the table. Then the next player in clockwise order sits out while all other players decide which one of their cards to reveal and add to the team currently being formed. If a card is added to a team that would break that team — e.g., adding a 3 when the face-up cards are 1 and 1, or adding a 2 when the face-up cards are 1, 2 and 4 — then you remove all face-up cards from play. X cards don't have a locked-in value, so you can consider them whatever value is needed to maintain the validity of a team. If you create a valid team of five cards, great! Put it aside, then start a new team. If you manage to create as many teams as the number of players at the table, you win; if you run out of cards and can't create enough teams, you lose.
Categories
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- AMIGO
Questions and answers
Silent Planet 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 Silent Planet is 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 Silent Planet 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.
Silent Planet 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.
Silent Planet belongs to these categories: Card Game and Science Fiction. Its main mechanics are Cooperative Game and Communication Limits. 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 Silent Planet are: Klaus Altenburger. 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 Silent Planet 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.