- BGG rank
- BGG #112
- BGG rating
- 7.7
Ra
- 2–5 players
- 45–60 min
- Complexity 2.3/5
- 1999
- BGG rank
- BGG #31,004
- BGG rating
- 5.3
Simply Ingenious
2008
Rules assistance for Simply Ingenious
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 20 min
- 7+
- Complexity 1.2/5
Rules assistant for Simply Ingenious
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Simply Ingenious is a board game released in 2008 for 2–4 players, 20 minutes per game, and ages 7 and up. It was designed by Reiner Knizia and its main mechanics are Set Collection, Push Your Luck, and Chit-Pull System.
Similar games
- BGG rank
- BGG #350
- BGG rating
- 7.3
Lost Cities
- 2 players
- 30 min
- Complexity 1.5/5
- 1999
- BGG rank
- BGG #733
- BGG rating
- 7.2
Medici
- 2–6 players
- 60 min
- Complexity 2.2/5
- 1995
- BGG rank
- BGG #2,101
- BGG rating
- 6.7
Circus Flohcati
- 2–5 players
- 15 min
- Complexity 1.2/5
- 1998
- BGG rank
- BGG #2,245
- BGG rating
- 6.4
Age of War
- 2–6 players
- 15–30 min
- Complexity 1.2/5
- 2006
- BGG rank
- BGG #2,478
- BGG rating
- 6.9
Ratzia
- 2–5 players
- 45 min
- Complexity 2.0/5
- 2004
- BGG rank
- BGG #3,051
- BGG rating
- 6.5
Sushizock im Gockelwok
- 2–5 players
- 20 min
- Complexity 1.2/5
- 2008
- BGG rank
- BGG #3,371
- BGG rating
- 6.8
Priests of Ra
- 2–5 players
- 60 min
- Complexity 2.2/5
- 2009
- BGG rank
- BGG #3,557
- BGG rating
- 6.7
Medici: The Card Game
- 2–6 players
- 30 min
- Complexity 1.6/5
- 2016
- BGG rank
- BGG #3,927
- BGG rating
- 7.3
SILOS
- 2–4 players
- 45–60 min
- Complexity 2.1/5
- 2025
- BGG rank
- BGG #3,951
- BGG rating
- 6.6
Cheeky Monkey
- 2–6 players
- 15 min
- Complexity 1.1/5
- 2007
- BGG rank
- BGG #4,231
- BGG rating
- 6.5
Keltis: Der Weg der Steine Mitbringspiel
- 2–4 players
- 15 min
- Complexity 1.2/5
- 2009
About the game
Einfach Genial: Wer zu viel riskiert, verliert! ("Simply Ingenious: Whoever Risks Too Much Loses!") is a tile game related to the Ingenious board game in that players are once again collecting as many points as possible in each color/symbol while also needing to score points in all colors/symbols in order to do well. To start the game, mix all 126 tiles (21 of each color/symbol) face down, then turn three face up and place them in a shared pool in the center of the table. On a turn, a player flips a tile face up. If the tile doesn't match one of those in the pool, he adds all tiles revealed this turn to the pool and ends his turn; if it does match, the player can either end his turn and collect the face-up tiles before him and all matching tiles in the pool, or take another turn. If you're the first player to collect seven tiles of each color, you win. (With four players, the goal is five tiles.) Any tiles of a color you collect over seven are shuffled back into the supply. If a player has a single color with fewer tiles in it than all other colors and a tile of that color is in the pool, the player can take one such tile and end his turn; this rule allows players to work toward that final color they need, while also pushing other players to try to remove that color from the pool. If the pool ever has fewer than three face-up tiles, reveal tiles and add them to the pool until three tiles are available. Einfach Genial: Wer zu viel riskiert, verliert! was later released as one of three games in Fantasy Flight Games' Ingenious Challenges.
Categories
Designers
Publishers
- Devir
- Hobby World
- KOSMOS
- White Goblin Games
- Bard Centrum Gier
- Sophisticated Games
Questions and answers
Simply Ingenious 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 Simply Ingenious is 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 Simply Ingenious for ages 7 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.
Simply Ingenious has a complexity rating of 1.2 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.
Simply Ingenious belongs to these categories: Abstract Strategy. Its main mechanics are Set Collection, Push Your Luck, and Chit-Pull System. 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 Simply Ingenious 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 Simply Ingenious 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.