- BGG rank
- BGG #5,086
- BGG rating
- 6.6
PIX
- 4–9 players
- 30 min
- Complexity 1.4/5
- 2012
- BGG rank
- BGG #24,347
- BGG rating
- 6.0
SMS
2016
Rules assistance for SMS
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 4–9 players
- 15–30 min
- 10+
- Complexity 1.5/5
Rules assistant for SMS
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
SMS is a board game released in 2016 for 4–9 players, 15–30 minutes per game, and ages 10 and up. It was designed by Laurent Escoffier and David Franck and its main mechanics are Pattern Recognition.
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About the game
In SMS two players compete to get the other players to guess a word or a person. But whoever used the fewer number of letters will get to show their word first. As if you were using a smartphone and sending a text message, you can use letters and a few special characters. Each player gets a board with a dry-erase marker on which they can write letters and characters. Want to get people to guess "marathon" ? Then maybe you could write "26mi" or "42km". When you show your board, players have 30 seconds to find the correct answer. If they don't, then your opponent will get to show his word. You get points by finding correct words and by being the one whose board helped players find the correct answer.
Categories
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- In ludo veritas
Questions and answers
SMS supports 4–9 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 SMS is 15–30 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 SMS 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.
SMS 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.
SMS belongs to these categories: Party Game and Real-time. Its main mechanics are Pattern Recognition. 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 SMS are: Laurent Escoffier and David Franck. 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 SMS 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.