- BGG rank
- BGG #5,166
- BGG rating
- 6.3
Antidote
- 2–7 players
- 20–30 min
- Complexity 1.7/5
- 2013
- BGG rank
- BGG #19,753
- BGG rating
- 5.9
Swamped
2016
Rules assistance for Swamped
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–4 players
- 15–30 min
- 13+
- Complexity 1.8/5
Rules assistant for Swamped
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Swamped is a board game released in 2016 for 2–4 players, 15–30 minutes per game, and ages 13 and up. It was designed by Dennis Hoyle, Jonathan Logan Clark, and Benjamin Gerber and its main mechanics are Action Queue.
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About the game
Swamped is a semi-cooperative game of adventure, peril and treasure in which players move through a swamp searching for a rare herb that can cure diseases. Each player takes a turn steering the boat to find the herb. But the swamp has many other treasures as well, so players may try to steer the boat away from its intended goal to increase their own wealth. Swamped is a game for 2-4 adventurers that plays in about 30 minutes and expands the vibrant world of Antidote. In addition to a one-of-a-kind theme, there are five core elements that make Swamped incredibly fun and a surprisingly unique gaming experience: 1. Player-shared pieces: All players share ownership of the same tiny boat in the swamp, so the actions of any one player impact every other player directly. 2. Secret and shared objectives: Everyone knows the main objective, but each player also has a hidden goal that might lead the whole expedition into deadly peril! 3. Player controlled game-length: Players can speed-up or slow-down the game down depending on their preference. Some will try to get out of the swamp quickly, while others will delay until they've collected precisely the right combination of treasures. 4. Surprise ending: It is unlikely that anyone can know with 100% certainty who has won the game before each player's secret objective is revealed, leading to an exciting reveal at the very end! 5. Efficient use of physical components: Despite its small size (35 cards and two pieces), most cards have multiple uses and orientations leading to a surprisingly deep set of decisions each player can make. Furthermore, as players move deeper into the swamp, the swamp expands from the action card deck, opening up greater adventure, while at the same time triggering a built-in game timer.
Categories
Mechanics
Publishers
- Bellwether Games
Questions and answers
Swamped 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 Swamped 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 Swamped for ages 13 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.
Swamped has a complexity rating of 1.8 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.
Swamped belongs to these categories: Card Game and Exploration. Its main mechanics are Action Queue. 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 Swamped are: Dennis Hoyle, Jonathan Logan Clark, and Benjamin Gerber. 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 Swamped 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.