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- BGG rating
- 6.5
Tiny Epic Kingdoms
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- 2014
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- BGG rating
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The Big Time!
2011
Rules assistance for The Big Time!
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–4 players
- 45 min
- 8+
- Complexity 1.9/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for The Big Time!
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
The Big Time! is a board game released in 2011 for 2–4 players, 45 minutes per game, and ages 8 and up. It was designed by Holmes! and its main mechanics are Auction / Bidding.
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About the game
In The Big Time!, players take the role of theater owners in Chicago during the Golden Age of vaudeville from about 1905 to about 1915. The object is to make your theater the most spectacular in the city by booking the greatest and most diverse roster of acts that you can find (and afford!). You win the game by having the highest score on the Success Track, which represents public approbation and goodwill. While money is an important part of running a successful theater, there've gotta be easier ways to make a living than dealing with a never-ending procession of ventriloquists, jugglers, and trained animals! No, you're in this business because greasepaint is in your blood, and you can't imagine a world without limelight. In each of four turns, players bid on the right to select acts first and place those acts in their theaters. After your theaters are booked, you tally up scores to see who was the most successful. Good shows will drive up the reputation of your theater and influence the popularity of the types of acts that you book, but a flop can always set you back!
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Questions and answers
The Big Time! 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 The Big Time! 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 Time! 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 Time! has a complexity rating of 1.9 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 Time! belongs to these categories: Print & Play. Its main mechanics are Auction / Bidding. 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 Time! are: Holmes!. 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 Time! 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.