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- BGG rating
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Knitting Circle
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Tapeworm
2020
Rules assistance for Tapeworm
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–4 players
- 15–30 min
- 8+
- Complexity 1.1/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for Tapeworm
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Tapeworm is a board game released in 2020 for 2–4 players, 15–30 minutes per game, and ages 8 and up. It was designed by Edmund McMillen and its main mechanics are Hand Management, Race, and Tile Placement.
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About the game
From designer Edmund McMillen, twist, turn and trap your oppenents in this game of intestinal tension! In Tapeworm, players race to be the first to get rid of all of their cards by connecting and growing the wriggling masses of different colored worm bodies. Gameplay is simple but strategic. A player's turn includes the drawing and laying down of matching color segments, which continues until a head is attached or you run out of that color card. Whichever player ends up with an empty hand first wins the game. There are special mechanics to propel a player forward, as well as cards intended to hinder the efforts of their opponents. These cards include: Cut, to sever a worm segment at play; Peek, to draw a card and replace it with another card from a hand; Hatch, to force an opponent to draw from the deck; Swap, to look at an opponent's hand and decide if cards should be traded; Dig, to draw a card from the deck and discard one from a hand. An astoundingly easy-to-learn game of card management for the whole family that is sure to leave you holding your sides... with laughter!
Designers
Publishers
- Studio71
Questions and answers
Tapeworm 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 Tapeworm 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 Tapeworm 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.
Tapeworm has a complexity rating of 1.1 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.
Tapeworm belongs to these categories: Card Game, Humor, and Animals. Its main mechanics are Hand Management, Race, and Tile Placement. 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 Tapeworm are: Edmund McMillen. 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 Tapeworm 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.