- BGG rank
- BGG #1,907
- BGG rating
- 6.8
Timeline: General Interest
- 2–8 players
- 15 min
- Complexity 1.1/5
- 2012
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- BGG #1,581
- BGG rating
- 6.7
Timeline: Inventions
2010
Rules assistance for Timeline: Inventions
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–8 players
- 15 min
- 8+
- Complexity 1.1/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for Timeline: Inventions
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Timeline: Inventions is a board game released in 2010 for 2–8 players, 15 minutes per game, and ages 8 and up. It was designed by Frédéric Henry and its main mechanics are Ordering.
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About the game
Timeline: Inventions is a card game played using 55 cards. Each card depicts an invention on both sides, with the year in which that invention was created on only one side. Players take turns placing a card from their hand in a row on the table. After placing the card, the player reveals the date on it. If the card was placed correctly with the date in chronological order with all other cards on the table, the card stays in place; otherwise the card is removed from play and the player takes another card from the deck. The first player to get rid of all their cards by placing them correctly wins. If multiple players go out in the same round, then everyone else is eliminated from play and each of those players are dealt one more card for another round of play. If only one player has no cards after a bonus round, he wins; otherwise play continues until a single player goes out. Timeline: Inventions can be combined with any other title in the Timeline series.
Categories
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- Kaissa Chess & Games
- Galápagos Jogos
- ADC Blackfire Entertainment
- asmodee
- Hobby Japan
- Rebel Sp. z o.o.
- Gémklub
- GoKids 玩樂小子
- Korea Boardgames
- Rexhry
- Esdevium
- Lifestyle Boardgames Ltd
- Zygomatic
- Asterion Press
- More Fun Co., Ltd.
- Hazgaard Editions
Questions and answers
Timeline: Inventions supports 2–8 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 Timeline: Inventions is 15 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 Timeline: Inventions 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.
Timeline: Inventions 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.
Timeline: Inventions belongs to these categories: Card Game, Trivia, and Educational. Its main mechanics are Ordering. 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 Timeline: Inventions are: Frédéric Henry. 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 Timeline: Inventions 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.