
- BGG rank
- BGG #2,256
- BGG rating
- 6.8
Trek 12: Himalaya
- 1–50 players
- 15–30 min
- Complexity 1.5/5
- 2020

2011
Rules assistance for Streams
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
For 1 player

What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Streams is a board game released in 2011 for 1–99 players, 10 minutes per game, and ages 8 and up. It was designed by Yoshihisa Itsubaki and its main mechanics are Paper-and-Pencil, Pattern Building, and Bingo.
Streams (a.k.a. 20 Express) consists of pens, score sheets, and a deck of forty cards (or bakelite tiles, depending on the edition); the tiles are numbered 1-30, with two copies of #11-19 and one wild. Game play is similar to Bingo in that someone draws a tile and everyone must then write that number on their scoring sheet. This sheet contains a line of 20 spaces to be filled, and while these spaces can be filled in any order, if you can place the numbers in non-descending order – identical numbers placed side-by-side don't break a stream – you'll score points at the end of the game. The longer the stream of ascending numbers, the more points she scores. Once twenty tiles have been drawn and the scoresheets filled, players tally their points for each stream of non-descending numbers, and the high score wins. The second edition of Streams includes normal and expert rules.
Streams supports 1–99 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 Streams is 10 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 Streams 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.
Streams 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.
Streams belongs to these categories: Number, Puzzle, and Math. Its main mechanics are Paper-and-Pencil, Pattern Building, and Bingo. 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 Streams are: Yoshihisa Itsubaki. 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 Streams 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.