
- BGG rank
- BGG #12,509
- BGG rating
- 6.1
A to Z
- 2–4 players
- 30 min
- Complexity 1.5/5
- 1992

Rules assistance for Stay Alive
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.

What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Stay Alive is a board game released in 1965 for 2–4 players, 30 minutes per game, and ages 8 and up. It was designed by Gordon A. Barlow and its main mechanics are Push Your Luck, Player Elimination, and Map Deformation.
The game consists of a 7x7 board with horizontal and vertical slides that can be in any of three positions each. Each slide has a certain number of holes in it. Initially, the board is set up in any random position, then the players deploy their marbles onto the non-holed spaces. On your turn, you change a slider's setting, hoping to open new holes underneath opponents' marbles. The last player to Stay Alive wins.
Stay Alive 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 Stay Alive is 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 Stay Alive 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.
Stay Alive 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.
Stay Alive belongs to these categories: Abstract Strategy. Its main mechanics are Push Your Luck, Player Elimination, and Map Deformation. 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 Stay Alive are: Gordon A. Barlow. 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 Stay Alive 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.