- BGG rating
- 5.9
The Big Idea: La Science-Fiction Médiévale
- 3–6 players
- 25 min
- Complexity 1.0/5
- 2012
- BGG rank
- BGG #12,054
- BGG rating
- 6.0
The Big Idea
2011
Rules assistance for The Big Idea
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 25 min
- 8+
- Complexity 1.0/5
Rules assistant for The Big Idea
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
The Big Idea is a board game released in 2011 for 3–6 players, 25 minutes per game, and ages 8 and up. It was designed by James Ernest and its main mechanics are Storytelling and Voting.
Expansions
Similar games
- BGG rank
- BGG #6,607
- BGG rating
- 6.3
The Big Idea
- 3–6 players
- 45 min
- Complexity 1.3/5
- 2000
- BGG rank
- BGG #362
- BGG rating
- 7.4
Dixit: Odyssey
- 3–12 players
- 30 min
- Complexity 1.2/5
- 2011
- BGG rank
- BGG #436
- BGG rating
- 7.2
Dixit
- 3–8 players
- 30 min
- Complexity 1.2/5
- 2008
- BGG rank
- BGG #464
- BGG rating
- 7.2
Mysterium
- 2–7 players
- 42 min
- Complexity 1.9/5
- 2015
- BGG rank
- BGG #899
- BGG rating
- 7.4
Detective Club
- 4–8 players
- 45 min
- Complexity 1.2/5
- 2018
- BGG rank
- BGG #913
- BGG rating
- 7.4
Dixit: Journey
- 3–6 players
- 30 min
- Complexity 1.3/5
- 2012
- BGG rank
- BGG #1,835
- BGG rating
- 7.4
ديكست ديزني
- 3–6 players
- 30 min
- Complexity 1.1/5
- 2023
- BGG rank
- BGG #2,585
- BGG rating
- 6.4
Once Upon a Time: The Storytelling Card Game
- 2–6 players
- 30 min
- Complexity 1.4/5
- 1993
- BGG rank
- BGG #4,688
- BGG rating
- 6.8
Pluckin' Pairs
- 3–8 players
- 50 min
- Complexity 1.1/5
- 2012
- BGG rank
- BGG #6,218
- BGG rating
- 6.5
Ultimate Werewolf
- 5–30 players
- 30–90 min
- Complexity 1.2/5
- 2014
- BGG rank
- BGG #7,217
- BGG rating
- 6.1
Such a Thing?
- 2–8 players
- 30 min
- Complexity 1.2/5
- 1989
- BGG rank
- BGG #8,006
- BGG rating
- 6.7
Dubious
- 3–6 players
- 30 min
- Complexity 1.8/5
- 2021
About the game
Designer James Ernest released The Big Idea through his own Cheapass Games in 2000, with the game being a hybrid of party game and light strategy game. In that design, players would create crazy inventions from the adjective and noun cards in their hands, simultaneously choose one invention (other than their own) to invest in, pay to invest in other inventions (whether newly created that round or an earlier creation), then roll a die for each investment to see whether it pays off and if so by how much. The player who collected the most money won. For the 2011 edition of The Big Idea from French publisher Funforge, Ernest and Funforge's Philippe Nouhra have transformed the design into a true party game by stripping out the elements related to earning money. Players still have a hand of adjective and noun cards, and combine any number of them to create a fancy invention. They then take turns pitching their ideas to everyone in the game, lobbying players as if they were in front of a crowd of venture capitalists. Players then secretly vote on which idea they feel should be rewarded, placing a reward card face down in front of the chosen invention and blank cards in front of all other inventions. The player who collects the most rewards wins the round. Unlike the Cheapass titles of yore, Funforge's The Big Idea will include high-quality, full-color illustrated cards packaged in a nice box.
Editions
- The Big IdeaenFunforge2011
- The Big IdeaBroadway Toys LTD2017
- Geile IdeedeHeidelberger Spieleverlag2013
- The Big IdeafrFunforge2011
- パーティゲーム ビッグ・アイデアArclight Games2011
- Есть идея!ruHobby World
Categories
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- Arclight Games
- Broadway Toys LTD
- Hobby World
- Heidelberger Spieleverlag
- Funforge
Questions and answers
The Big Idea supports 3–6 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 The Big Idea is 25 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 The Big Idea 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.
The Big Idea has a complexity rating of 1.0 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.
The Big Idea belongs to these categories: Party Game. Its main mechanics are Storytelling and Voting. 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 The Big Idea are: James Ernest. 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 The Big Idea 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.