
- BGG rating
- 7.3
The Lost Worlds of Josh Kirby: Space Opera
- 2–5 players
- 2020

2020
Rules assistance for The Lost Worlds of Josh Kirby
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.

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Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
The Lost Worlds of Josh Kirby is a board game released in 2020 for 2–5 players, 20–45 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Jordan Nichols and its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Take That, and Race.
The Lost Worlds of Josh Kirby features art never before published in games from Josh Kirby, famed sci-fi & fantasy artist with credits including Tunnels & Trolls, Return of the Jedi and Discworld. The game features a dice-based action selection system. Each turn, roll and allocate dice to Save or Conquer World cards in the center of the table — and optionally, activate renown powers or world powers. Saving or Conquering worlds will push your Morality track toward Savior or Tyrant. Your ever-changing morality affects which dice you can reroll, special powers you can access, and even endgame bonuses. Combine the powers of worlds you’ve claimed with your dice to enact sweeping change across the galaxy and rocket yourself to victory. At the end of the game, the player who has claimed the most valuable worlds is the victor — but you receive bonuses depending on both your final morality and how you claimed the worlds (Save or Conquer).
The Lost Worlds of Josh Kirby supports 2–5 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 Lost Worlds of Josh Kirby is 20–45 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 Lost Worlds of Josh Kirby for ages 12 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 Lost Worlds of Josh Kirby has a complexity rating of 2.5 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 Lost Worlds of Josh Kirby belongs to these categories: Dice, Science Fiction, and Space Exploration. Its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Take That, and Race. 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 Lost Worlds of Josh Kirby are: Jordan Nichols. 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 Lost Worlds of Josh Kirby 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.