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Mid-Life Crisis
- 2–6 players
- 60 min
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- 1982
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- BGG #31,416
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The Hobbit: The Defeat of Smaug
2001
Rules assistance for The Hobbit: The Defeat of Smaug
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–6 players
- 30 min
- 8+
- Complexity 1.3/5
Rules assistant for The Hobbit: The Defeat of Smaug
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
The Hobbit: The Defeat of Smaug is a board game released in 2001 for 2–6 players, 30 minutes per game, and ages 8 and up. It was designed by Keith Meyers and Michael Stern and its main mechanics are Roll / Spin and Move, Point to Point Movement, and Rock-Paper-Scissors.
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About the game
Game description from the publisher: In The Hobbit, embark on a great adventure based on J.R.R. Tolkien's legendary novel, The Hobbit. Try to safely navigate your way to the Lonely Mountain and reclaim all the treasure that the evil dragon Smaug is hiding – but beware as the treasure is fiercely guarded and must be won in battle! Will you trade your jewels for adventure points? Can you successfully answer the riddles or recite the songs? Do you have the courage to steal a jewel right from under Smaug's nose? On this adventure you'll travel through the Edge of the Wild, the Misty Mountains, the Carrock, Mirkwood, Long Lake, and finally confront the Desolation of Smaug. Each terrain will yield magical encounters and valuable treasure. All your wit, luck and skill will be tested. Are you up to the challenge to be crowned King Under the Mountain?
Categories
Designers
Publishers
- Devir
- Kaissa Chess & Games
- Tilsit
- Klee
- Alga
- Piatnik
- Tactic
- Fantasy Flight Games
- Nexus Editrice
- 999 Games
- Laser plus
- Esdevium
- Playroom Entertainment
- Sophisticated Games
Questions and answers
The Hobbit: The Defeat of Smaug supports 2–6 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 Hobbit: The Defeat of Smaug is 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 The Hobbit: The Defeat of Smaug 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 Hobbit: The Defeat of Smaug 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 Hobbit: The Defeat of Smaug belongs to these categories: Fantasy, Dice, and Adventure. Its main mechanics are Roll / Spin and Move, Point to Point Movement, and Rock-Paper-Scissors. 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 Hobbit: The Defeat of Smaug are: Keith Meyers and Michael Stern. 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 Hobbit: The Defeat of Smaug 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.