- BGG rating
- 6.1
Venice: Taxi Service
- 3–5 players
- 60–90 min
- 2021
- BGG rank
- BGG #6,478
- BGG rating
- 6.4
Venice
2021
Rules assistance for Venice
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 1–5 players
- 60–90 min
- 14+
- Complexity 3.1/5
For 1 player
Rules assistant for Venice
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Venice is a board game released in 2021 for 1–5 players, 60–90 minutes per game, and ages 14 and up. It was designed by Andrei Novac and Dávid Turczi and its main mechanics are Trading, Point to Point Movement, and Network and Route Building.
Expansions
- BGG rating
- 7.3
Venice: Da Vinci's Workshop
- 1–5 players
- 40–100 min
- 2022
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Dark Ages: Heritage of Charlemagne
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- Complexity 3.5/5
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About the game
Set in the titular city in the 16th century, Venice lets players take the role of wealthy, influential merchants as they ride their gondolas up and down the city's canals, train their assistants, complete contracts, and leverage their influence to gain political power. But business is anything but usual. As they broker contracts and flirt with crime, merchants must avoid arousing the suspicion of the Venetian Inquisition, lest they find themselves arrested and their businesses shut down. In the game, players move their two gondolas around the board. When they move a gondola, they may activate the assistants they have placed previously on any building they pass, but they may train (and improve the capabilities of) only the one on which they end their movement. Assistants allow you to gain resources, trade, make money, and take an array of other actions depending on the buildings to which they are assigned. When resources are made, they are placed in the gondola, and these will be used to fulfill lucrative contracts. Space is limited on the city's canals, however, and each time you pass another merchant's boat, gossip will spread, raising your suspicion level with the Inquisition. Lower your suspicion with visits and donations to the church, or academic institutions — or throw caution to the wind and engage in unsavory activities for money or information. During the game, being such a well-known merchant can be a boon to your political career, but at game end, the most suspicious player will be made an example of by the Inquisition — blocking your victory even if you have the most points. Includes solo mode by David Turczi and Xavi Bordes —description from the publisher
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- Giochix.it
- Fishbone Games
- Braincrack Games
- Atalia
- Giant Roc
Questions and answers
Venice supports 1–5 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 Venice is 60–90 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 Venice for ages 14 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.
Venice has a complexity rating of 3.1 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.
Venice belongs to these categories: Economic, Political, and Religious. Its main mechanics are Trading, Point to Point Movement, and Network and Route Building. 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 Venice are: Andrei Novac and Dávid Turczi. 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 Venice 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.