- BGG rank
- BGG #19,777
- BGG rating
- 6.2
Cryptocurrency
- 2–4 players
- 60 min
- Complexity 2.0/5
- 2018
- BGG rank
- BGG #20,769
- BGG rating
- 6.9
Singapore 1889
2023
Rules assistance for Singapore 1889
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–5 players
- 20–30 min
- 8+
- Complexity 1.5/5
Rules assistant for Singapore 1889
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Singapore 1889 is a board game released in 2023 for 2–5 players, 20–30 minutes per game, and ages 8 and up. It was designed by Steve Ng Wen Xi.
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About the game
In Singapore 1889, players are thrown into the lives of Chinese merchants living in Singapore in the 19th Century. Governed by the British East India Company, Singapore flourished as a trading hub in Southeast Asia. Many Chinese merchants relied on the secret societies’ influence and aid to maintain a lucrative business. You are one of such merchants, trying cash in on trading goods favoured by Ghee Hin Kongsi (義興公司), one of the most influential secret societies in 19th century Singapore. Find the right goods to trade and compel the secret society’s interest to your advantage. But beware! The British have taken notice of the secret societies’ dominance and might be working to weaken its influence. The game has players collecting precious commodities which is favored by the Secret Society and the British East Indies Company. Players will try to manipulate the goods favored by the Secret Society so that their own goods will increase in value. The game ends when each player collects 7 goods and the player with the highest value of goods, wins! —description from the publisher
Designers
Publishers
- Mercat Games
Questions and answers
Singapore 1889 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 Singapore 1889 is 20–30 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 Singapore 1889 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.
Singapore 1889 has a complexity rating of 1.5 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.
The credited designers of Singapore 1889 are: Steve Ng Wen Xi. 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 Singapore 1889 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.