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- BGG rank
- BGG #17,696
- BGG rating
- 6.7
Zarcana
1996
Rules assistance for Zarcana
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–4 players
- 45 min
- 12+
- Complexity 2.8/5
For 2 players
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Rules assistant for Zarcana
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Zarcana is a board game released in 1996 for 2–4 players, 45 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by John Cooper and its main mechanics are Area Majority / Influence, Tile Placement, and Modular Board.
About the game
Zarcana is a game played with Icehouse Pieces on tarot cards. "Zarcana is a game of war, journeys, growth, life, and death. Icehouse pieces are your minions, spreading out across a world composed of tarot cards. You move these minions across the board, trying to occupy valuable cards. The board can change, grow and shrink, so be prepared to defend your holdings, invade enemy territory, and colonize new lands. You will also have a hand of cards, drawn from the tarot deck. Each card has a power, and you can make use of the cards you occupy on the board in addition to the cards in your hand. Use them wisely. Whoever occupies the most valuable set of cards on the board will be the winner, when the end of the game is finally declared." Its rules were included in Icehouse: The Martian Chess Set. Zarcana was redeveloped into Gnostica. Zarcana has also been re-implemented by Zark City and Dectana. The former is much simpler and uses a poker deck, while the latter is more complex and uses the Decktet.
Designers
Publishers
- Looney Labs
Questions and answers
Zarcana 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 Zarcana is 45 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 Zarcana 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.
Zarcana has a complexity rating of 2.8 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-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.
Zarcana belongs to these categories: Card Game, Territory Building, and Abstract Strategy. Its main mechanics are Area Majority / Influence, Tile Placement, and Modular Board. 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 Zarcana are: John Cooper. 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 Zarcana 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.