- BGG rating
- 6.0
Vanuatu: The Governor
- 3–5 players
- 90 min
- Complexity 3.0/5
- 2012
- BGG rank
- BGG #1,514
- BGG rating
- 7.2
Vanuatu
2011
Rules assistance for Vanuatu
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–5 players
- 90 min
- 12+
- Complexity 3.3/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for Vanuatu
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Vanuatu is a board game released in 2011 for 2–5 players, 90 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Alain Epron and its main mechanics are Auction / Bidding, Lose a Turn, and Grid Movement.
Expansions
- BGG rating
- 5.1
Vanuatu: The Rising Waters
- 3–5 players
- Complexity 3.0/5
- 2012
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About the game
In Vanuatu, you are a Vanuatuan who wants to prosper during the eight turns of the game. In order to prosper, you have to manage with natural resources, rare items, vatus (local currency) and tourists. To earn money or prosperity points, you may also draw on the sand*, carry tourists all over Vanuatu islands, or trade cargo with foreign countries. On each turn, the archipelago expands and you have to program your actions with five tokens. You put one or more of them on the chosen action spaces, and on your turn, you will only be able to play an action if you have the majority on its space. Thus, sometimes have to wait for other players to remove their tokens by playing their actions. If you are not in majority anywhere, you have to remove all of your tokens from an action and give up hope of playing this action. A good strategy lets you block other players; for example, they won't be able to sell fishes if they haven't caught them first – order matters! Islands and sea resources are rare, so be quick and take them first! There is no such thing as a rich Vanuatuan. When you reach ten vatus, they automatically transform into 5 prosperity points and again, you are poor. Life is hard, but you may encounter ten men to help you; on each turn you choose one of them to increase your benefits from an action. As always, being the first player lets you choose before the others. In short, Vanuatu is a strategy game of programming and majorities that features development, blocking, and a lot of interaction between players. (*) Sand Drawing in Vanuatu belongs to the Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity of the UNESCO.
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- HUCH!
- Asterion Press
- Coffee Haus Games
- Krok Nik Douil editions
Questions and answers
Vanuatu supports 2–5 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 Vanuatu is 90 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 Vanuatu for ages 12 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.
Vanuatu has a complexity rating of 3.3 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-weight 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.
Vanuatu belongs to these categories: Economic and Nautical. Its main mechanics are Auction / Bidding, Lose a Turn, 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 Vanuatu are: Alain Epron. 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 Vanuatu 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.