- BGG rank
- BGG #485
- BGG rating
- 7.4
Trio
- 3–6 players
- 15 min
- Complexity 1.1/5
- 2021
- BGG rank
- BGG #29,767
- BGG rating
- 4.6
Vantage
1985
Rules assistance for Vantage
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 30 min
- 9+
- Complexity 1.3/5
Rules assistant for Vantage
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Vantage is a board game released in 1985 for 2–4 players, 30 minutes per game, and ages 9 and up. Its main mechanics are Set Collection and Memory.
Similar games
- BGG rank
- BGG #608
- BGG rating
- 7.0
Hanabi
- 2–5 players
- 25 min
- Complexity 1.7/5
- 2010
- BGG rank
- BGG #2,672
- BGG rating
- 6.5
Sleeping Queens
- 2–5 players
- 20 min
- Complexity 1.1/5
- 2005
- BGG rank
- BGG #4,030
- BGG rating
- 6.6
Scopa
- 2–6 players
- 30 min
- Complexity 1.5/5
- 1600
- BGG rank
- BGG #7,245
- BGG rating
- 6.8
Treasure of the Dragons
- 2–5 players
- 20 min
- Complexity 1.2/5
- 2003
- BGG rank
- BGG #9,635
- BGG rating
- 7.1
Survival of the Fattest
- 1–4 players
- 45–90 min
- Complexity 2.8/5
- 2024
- BGG rank
- BGG #11,495
- BGG rating
- 6.7
Biberbande Schnupperspiel
- 2–4 players
- Complexity 1.0/5
- 2016
- BGG rank
- BGG #11,869
- BGG rating
- 6.4
Sushi Boat
- 2–5 players
- 30–75 min
- Complexity 1.6/5
- 2023
- BGG rank
- BGG #12,805
- BGG rating
- 6.5
Stones of Fate
- 2–4 players
- 20–30 min
- Complexity 1.6/5
- 2015
- BGG rank
- BGG #13,017
- BGG rating
- 6.8
Fruit Passion
- 1–5 players
- 25 min
- Complexity 2.2/5
- 2015
- BGG rank
- BGG #13,228
- BGG rating
- 5.9
By Golly!
- 2–6 players
- 15 min
- Complexity 1.1/5
- 2001
- BGG rank
- BGG #13,616
- BGG rating
- 6.3
Mini DiverCity
- 1–7 players
- 15–20 min
- Complexity 1.5/5
- 2018
About the game
There are 106 cards: 5 suits (red, yellow, green, blue, purple) of 1-14, four Wild cards and 28 Action cards (Cards Up, Black Out, Pass One, Lose One). Each suit contains one special "BIG" card used in scoring (Red 10, Yellow 6, Green 7, Blue 12, Purple 2). Initial deal is four, Action cards in a separate stack. On your turn, you turn over an Action card and follow its instructions. You then match, build or discard one card from your hand. Cards Up turns all cards on the table face up, Black Out face down. Pass One means everyone passes a card to one's right. Lose One means you put a card down face up. Matching concerns the card values; you can collect cards of the same value as the played card, or pairs of cards that add up to that value. Building means you match as above but leave the matched cards as a pile, vulnerable to another player's matching. This is usually done so you can collect another card from your own hand (so you would "Build eights" with the table's 5+3 and your 8, hoping to "Match eights" on your next turn with your other 8). Discarding is what you do if you cannot Match or Build. This increases the table's pool of cards open for matching or building. After you've played your 4 cards in this way, another round ensues, and so forth until the entire deck has been gone through. Scoring is +10 for the most cards collected, +8 for the most Purple cards collected, +6 for the most Red cards collected, +4 for each "BIG" card collected, +2 for each 1 card, +2 for each Wild card. During a Black Out, you must memorize which card is which; if you declare a play but get the cards wrong, your played card is simply added to those already face down on the table.
Editions
- VantageenInternational Games1985
Questions and answers
Vantage 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 Vantage 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 Vantage for ages 9 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.
Vantage has a complexity rating of 1.3 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.
Vantage belongs to these categories: Card Game and Memory. Its main mechanics are Set Collection and Memory. 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 catalogue lists Vantage 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.