- BGG rank
- BGG #3,661
- BGG rating
- 6.7
Leo
- 2–5 players
- 30 min
- Complexity 1.1/5
- 2016
- BGG rank
- BGG #28,991
- BGG rating
- 4.7
Top Hats
1997
Rules assistance for Top Hats
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–3 players
- 30 min
- 8+
- Complexity 1.1/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for Top Hats
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Top Hats is a board game released in 1997 for 2–3 players, 30 minutes per game, and ages 8 and up. It was designed by Leo Colovini and its main mechanics are Memory and Grid Movement.
Similar games
- BGG rank
- BGG #26,839
- BGG rating
- 5.4
Donna Leon: Gefährliches Spiel
- 2–4 players
- 60 min
- Complexity 1.8/5
- 2009
- BGG rank
- BGG #15,056
- BGG rating
- 6.0
Venezia 2099
- 2–5 players
- 60 min
- Complexity 1.5/5
- 2014
- BGG rank
- BGG #16,842
- BGG rating
- 5.8
Submarine
- 2–5 players
- 45 min
- Complexity 2.1/5
- 2004
- BGG rank
- BGG #1,820
- BGG rating
- 7.0
Bridges of Shangri-La
- 3–4 players
- 60 min
- Complexity 2.7/5
- 2003
- BGG rank
- BGG #1,884
- BGG rating
- 6.8
Carolus Magnus
- 2–4 players
- 60 min
- Complexity 2.6/5
- 2000
- BGG rank
- BGG #2,071
- BGG rating
- 6.6
Clans
- 2–4 players
- 30 min
- Complexity 2.0/5
- 2002
- BGG rank
- BGG #5,399
- BGG rating
- 6.7
Fae
- 2–4 players
- 30 min
- Complexity 1.8/5
- 2018
- BGG rank
- BGG #6,279
- BGG rating
- 6.2
Alexandros
- 2–4 players
- 45 min
- Complexity 2.4/5
- 2003
- BGG rank
- BGG #7,247
- BGG rating
- 6.5
Eriantys
- 2–4 players
- 30 min
- Complexity 2.2/5
- 2021
- BGG rank
- BGG #9,579
- BGG rating
- 6.0
Justinian: Intrigue at the Emperor's Court
- 2–4 players
- 45 min
- Complexity 2.1/5
- 2006
- BGG rank
- BGG #10,805
- BGG rating
- 6.0
Meridian
- 2–4 players
- 30 min
- Complexity 2.5/5
- 2001
About the game
Each player has 15 Top Hats in their colour, pass some to your opponents and make 5 stacks of 3 hats each in secret, with one of your hats on top of each stack to show ownership. Place them and then move one space or jump your own hat stacks around a hex board, capturing opponents' pieces like Checkers/Dame. With each capture, remove the top Top Hat in the stacks you jumped, leaving them by the board, thus changing ownership of the stacks. When all the remaining stacks left on the board are owned by you, you win!
Categories
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- Piatnik
- Peliko Oy
- Big Fun
Questions and answers
Top Hats supports 2–3 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 Top Hats 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 Top Hats 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.
Top Hats 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.
Top Hats belongs to these categories: Abstract Strategy. Its main mechanics are Memory and Grid Movement. 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 Top Hats are: Leo Colovini. 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 Top Hats 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.