- BGG rating
- 7.0
The Mind: Level 13
- 2–4 players
- 15 min
- Complexity 1.0/5
- 2018
- BGG rank
- BGG #1,147
- BGG rating
- 6.7
The Mind
2018
Rules assistance for The Mind
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–4 players
- 20 min
- 8+
- Complexity 1.1/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for The Mind
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
The Mind is a board game released in 2018 for 2–4 players, 20 minutes per game, and ages 8 and up. It was designed by Wolfgang Warsch and its main mechanics are Hand Management, Cooperative Game, and Communication Limits.
Expansions
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About the game
The Mind is more than just a game. It's an experiment, a journey, a team experience in which you can't exchange information, yet will become one to defeat all the levels of the game. In more detail, the deck contains cards numbered 1-100, and during the game you try to complete 12, 10, or 8 levels of play with 2, 3, or 4 players. In a level, each player receives a hand of cards equal to the number of the level: one card in level 1, two cards in level 2, etc. Collectively you must play these cards into the center of the table on a single discard pile in ascending order but you cannot communicate with one another in any way as to which cards you hold. You simply stare into one another's eyes, and when you feel the time is right, you play your lowest card. If no one holds a card lower than what you played, great, the game continues! If someone did, all players discard face up all cards lower than what you played, and you lose one life. You start the game with a number of lives equal to the number of players. Lose all your lives, and you lose the game. You start with one shuriken as well, and if everyone wants to use a shuriken, each player discards their lowest card face up, giving everyone information and getting you closer to completing the level. As you complete levels, you might receive a reward of a shuriken or an extra life. Complete all the levels, and you win! For an extra challenge, play The Mind in extreme mode with all played cards going onto the stack face down. You don't look at the cards played until the end of a level, losing lives at that time for cards played out of order.
Designers
Publishers
- Arclight Games
- Kaissa Chess & Games
- Galápagos Jogos
- Gémklub
- Popcorn Games
- Swan Panasia Co., Ltd.
- GaGa Games
- Rexhry
- DV Games
- Vennerød Forlag AS
- Game Factory
- Mar Lúdico
- Fractal Juegos
- Lautapelit.fi
- Nürnberger-Spielkarten-Verlag
- White Goblin Games
- Oya
- Brain Games
- Coiledspring Games
- Lanlalen
- Ideal Board Games
- Maldón
- Mercurio
- FoxGames
- Pandasaurus Games
- YellowBOX
- Pravi Junak
Questions and answers
The Mind 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 Mind is 20 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 Mind 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 Mind has a complexity rating of 1.1 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 Mind belongs to these categories: Card Game and Number. Its main mechanics are Hand Management, Cooperative Game, and Communication Limits. 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 Mind are: Wolfgang Warsch. 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 Mind 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.