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River of Gold
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The Great Barrier Reef Card Game
2020
Rules assistance for The Great Barrier Reef Card Game
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 1–5 players
- 15–45 min
- 14+
- Complexity 2.0/5
For 1 player
Rules assistant for The Great Barrier Reef Card Game
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
The Great Barrier Reef Card Game is a board game released in 2020 for 1–5 players, 15–45 minutes per game, and ages 14 and up. It was designed by Keith Piggott and its main mechanics are Hand Management, Tile Placement, and Layering.
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About the game
The Great Barrier Reef Card Game is a small-box card game where players grow a portion of the reef in a tableau in front of them. On your turn, play a card from your hand to extend your reef in an attempt to create patterns. Randomly selected scoring cards will tell you what patterns are in play. Then draw from the card row according to the number on the card you played. Each turn you will attempt to both improve your reef through your card play and ensure you are drawing the right card for future plays. The game ends when the deck runs out. Players score based on how well they completed the patterns indicated. Scoring conditions can be altered by covering sharks and sponges. Whoever builds the healthiest reef wins! -description from publisher
Designers
Publishers
- Travel Buddy Games
Questions and answers
The Great Barrier Reef Card Game supports 1–5 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 Great Barrier Reef Card Game is 15–45 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 Great Barrier Reef Card Game for ages 14 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 Great Barrier Reef Card Game has a complexity rating of 2.0 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-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 Great Barrier Reef Card Game belongs to these categories: Card Game, Animals, and Puzzle. Its main mechanics are Hand Management, Tile Placement, and Layering. 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 Great Barrier Reef Card Game are: Keith Piggott. 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 Great Barrier Reef Card Game 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.