- BGG rank
- BGG #64
- BGG rating
- 8.3
Blood on the Clocktower
- 6–21 players
- 30–120 min
- Complexity 3.0/5
- 2022
- BGG rank
- BGG #6,905
- BGG rating
- 6.7
Soda Smugglers
2022
Rules assistance for Soda Smugglers
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 3–8 players
- 20 min
- 8+
- Complexity 1.3/5
For 3 players
Rules assistant for Soda Smugglers
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Soda Smugglers is a board game released in 2022 for 3–8 players, 20 minutes per game, and ages 8 and up. It was designed by Reiner Knizia and its main mechanics are Hand Management, Deduction, and Events.
Similar games
- BGG rank
- BGG #781
- BGG rating
- 7.7
Stationfall
- 1–9 players
- 60–150 min
- Complexity 4.0/5
- 2023
- BGG rank
- BGG #298
- BGG rating
- 7.4
Deception: Murder in Hong Kong
- 4–12 players
- 20 min
- Complexity 1.6/5
- 2014
- BGG rank
- BGG #662
- BGG rating
- 7.3
Discworld: Ankh-Morpork
- 2–4 players
- 60 min
- Complexity 2.2/5
- 2011
- BGG rank
- BGG #1,569
- BGG rating
- 7.4
Nanty Narking
- 2–4 players
- 60 min
- Complexity 2.3/5
- 2019
- BGG rank
- BGG #2,283
- BGG rating
- 6.7
Hidden Leaders
- 2–6 players
- 20–40 min
- Complexity 1.8/5
- 2022
- BGG rank
- BGG #623
- BGG rating
- 7.0
Sheriff of Nottingham
- 3–5 players
- 60 min
- Complexity 1.7/5
- 2014
- BGG rank
- BGG #3,862
- BGG rating
- 8.2
Mega Empires: The West
- 5–9 players
- 180–780 min
- Complexity 3.2/5
- 2019
- BGG rank
- BGG #650
- BGG rating
- 7.8
Detective: City of Angels
- 1–5 players
- 30–150 min
- Complexity 2.4/5
- 2019
- BGG rank
- BGG #763
- BGG rating
- 7.4
Zoo Vadis
- 3–7 players
- 20–40 min
- Complexity 2.1/5
- 2023
- BGG rank
- BGG #2,514
- BGG rating
- 6.8
Beyond Baker Street
- 2–4 players
- 30 min
- Complexity 2.2/5
- 2016
- BGG rank
- BGG #394
- BGG rating
- 7.8
Feed the Kraken
- 5–11 players
- 45–90 min
- Complexity 2.2/5
- 2022
About the game
Lawmakers are cracking down on soda, and tight regulation has made way for lucrative smuggling. One bottle per person is the new law — thus bribes, suitcase inspections, and arrests are on the agenda. Only one will emerge the Soda Kingpin. Each round in Soda Smugglers, one player takes a turn in the role of a border guard while the other players act as travelers. In a quest to acquire coveted carbonation and its accompanying bottle caps, the border guard tries to confiscate as many sodas as possible while only the cleverest travelers will sneak across with their fizzy contraband. After each player has been the border guard (twice in a 3-4 player game, once in a 5-8 player game), the game ends and whoever has the most bottle caps wins! —description from the publisher
Designers
Publishers
- Bitewing Games
- Gmeiner-Verlag
Questions and answers
Soda Smugglers supports 3–8 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 Soda Smugglers 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 Soda Smugglers 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.
Soda Smugglers has a complexity rating of 1.3 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.
Soda Smugglers belongs to these categories: Animals, Deduction, and Bluffing. Its main mechanics are Hand Management, Deduction, and Events. 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 Soda Smugglers 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 Soda Smugglers 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.