- BGG rating
- 6.8
The Big Idea: More Cards!
- 3–6 players
- 45 min
- Complexity 1.3/5
- 2004
- BGG rank
- BGG #6,604
- BGG rating
- 6.3
The Big Idea
2000
Rules assistance for The Big Idea
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 3–6 players
- 45 min
- 10+
- Complexity 1.3/5
For 3 players
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 2000 for 3–6 players, 45 minutes per game, and ages 10 and up. It was designed by James Ernest and its main mechanics are Player Judge, Voting, and Stock Holding.
Expansions
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About the game
The Big Idea is a quick and easy card game (Cheapass style) where the players represent venture capitalists creating companies (from a noun card and an adjective card - "Erotic Pants") to take through the process of an IPO. You automatically gain a share in companies you create, and later you have opportunities to secretly invest in a company and publicly buy a share in a company. Finally, you roll a die to see which companies go public in a round: equal to or lessor than the shares issued in the company. And the pay out: based on the number of shares issued and the number of cards used in forming the company times the die roll. The game is fairly simplistic, but it's lots of fun to create names of products like "Mentholated Chicken", while agonizing over helping your opponent because their product will net you the biggest gain. Expanded by: The Big Idea: More Cards! (compatible only with Semi-Deluxe edition) Re-implemented by: The Big Idea
Categories
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- Arclight Games
- Cheapass Games
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 45 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 10 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 1.3 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: Card Game and Party Game. Its main mechanics are Player Judge, Voting, and Stock Holding. 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.