
- BGG rank
- BGG #5,310
- BGG rating
- 6.2
King's Breakfast
- 3–5 players
- 15 min
- Complexity 1.2/5
- 2003

2000
Rules assistance for Time Pirates
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.

What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Time Pirates is a board game released in 2000 for 3–6 players, 60 minutes per game, and ages 10 and up. It was designed by Alan R. Moon and Aaron Weissblum and its main mechanics are Set Collection.
Players are skipping through time to steal various artifacts from ancient civilizations. Each of the time periods have only two pathways, so travel is somewhat limited. When in an era, you can refill the tiles, collect tiles, or move on. However, the Time Police are also patrolling the time periods. If the Time Police catch you, they'll steal all the tiles of your largest collection of artifacts! After three rounds of collection, the player with the best collection wins.
Time Pirates supports 3–6 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 Time Pirates is 60 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 Time Pirates for ages 10 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.
Time Pirates 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.
Time Pirates belongs to these categories: Pirates. Its main mechanics are Set Collection. 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 Time Pirates are: Alan R. Moon and Aaron Weissblum. 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 Time Pirates 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.