- BGG rating
- 5.9
Gringo: Polar Bear
- 2–7 players
- Complexity 1.0/5
- 2013
- BGG rank
- BGG #506
- BGG rating
- 7.2
Skull
2011
Rules assistance for Skull
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 3–6 players
- 15–45 min
- 10+
- Complexity 1.1/5
For 3 players
Rules assistant for Skull
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Skull is a board game released in 2011 for 3–6 players, 15–45 minutes per game, and ages 10 and up. It was designed by Hervé Marly and its main mechanics are Hand Management, Player Elimination, and Auction / Bidding.
Expansions
- BGG rating
- 7.7
Skull: Aztec
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- 15–45 min
- Complexity 1.0/5
- 2021
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About the game
Edited description from Bruno Faidutti's write-up of the game in his Ideal Game Library: Skull & Roses is the quintessence of bluffing, a game in which everything is played in the players' heads. Each player plays a face-down card, then each player in turn adds one more card – until someone feels safe enough to state that they can turn a number of cards face up and get only roses. Other players can then overbid them, saying they can turn even more cards face up. The highest bidder must then turn that number of cards face up, starting with their own. If they show only roses, they win; if they reveal a skull, they lose, placing one of their cards out of play. Two successful challenges wins the game. Skull & Roses is not a game of luck; it's a game of poker face and meeting eyes. Skull & Roses Red features the same gameplay as Skull & Roses, with the only change being alternate rules that allow each player to control two biker gangs. Both Skull & Roses Red and Skull are playable on their own, with each game containing six different biker gangs. Each Skull or Skull & Roses set can be combined with another to allow for games with more than six players.
Categories
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- Galápagos Jogos
- Hobby Japan
- Rebel Sp. z o.o.
- Gémklub
- Siam Board Games
- Boardgame Space
- Korea Boardgames
- Reflexshop
- Nordic Games ehf
- Geekach LLC
- Granna
- Space Cowboys
- Brain Games
- DiceTree Games
- Lui-même
Questions and answers
Skull supports 3–6 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 Skull is 15–45 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 Skull for ages 10 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.
Skull has a complexity rating of 1.1 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.
Skull belongs to these categories: Card Game, Party Game, and Bluffing. Its main mechanics are Hand Management, Player Elimination, and Auction / Bidding. 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 Skull are: Hervé Marly. 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 Skull 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.