You want to become the new ruler of the Kingdom of 12. To do so, you use your magical orb. But to channel its power you will need the help of different characters throughout the kingdom.
In King of 12, each player uses the same set of seven character cards. Each round, players choose one of these and reveal them simultaneously.
If two or more players chose the same card, these cards cancel. Otherwise the card effects are resolved. They affect each players magical orb - a d12.
After all cards are resolved, the values of the dice are compared. If two players have the same value on their die, they cancel. The remaining player with the highest value on their die wins the round and gets two points. The second most also gets one point. But in some cases the smallest value may win...
When only one card is left, players compare their points. Players with the same amount of points cancel each other, then the player with the most points wins the round. This player puts one of their cards aside and another round is played until one player wins a second round. This player wins the game.
A nice and highly interactive game of bluffing, mind reading and tactics. Easy to learn and fun to play.
Up to four games can be combined to play with up to 16 players.
- unique and highly replayable due to the cancellation mechanics
- often induces laughter and lively interaction
- simple to learn yet surprisingly strategic
- thematic cohesion is looser than purer euro titles
- some players may dislike the cutoff of tie-break cancellations
- dice manipulation and competitive round-based conflict.
- Abstract competition with dice as a central mechanic; competitive action selection.
- humorous, highly interactive, chaos-filled competition with cancellation mechanics.
- Duel Dice games
- Other anti-coordination titles
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- cancellation rule — If players have identical values, they cancel; the highest different value wins the round.
- card-driven die manipulation — Cards can add value to dice or invert outcomes to influence round winners.
- high-risk, high-reward power — Special cards and combinations create big swings, encouraging careful timing.
- simultaneous dice-drafting — Each round you roll and then modify values via cards to maximize outcomes.
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- After five years it's where you can really start to be like, 'Oh, is this game still around? Is this game still good?'
- The turns are slick and easy.
- It's sort of like a deck building game in slow motion where the cards that you're gaining and which ones are in front of you are going to be changing but not completely every single turn.
- You can actually play with all this stuff because it's a short, simple game.
- This looping mechanic is really, really cool and cooperative because you can set each other up.
References (from this video)
- Fast setup and short play time (about 20 seconds to set up, ~15 minutes play)
- Simple rules that are quick to teach
- Engaging bluffing and deduction through simultaneous card selection
- Cards interact with dice in interesting ways (rotate, flip, add, double, or set to 12)
- Clean production and nice artwork
- Replayability via different character cards and setups
- Loses some magic at 2 players
- Relies on dice randomness despite player decisions
- Primarily a light filler; may lack depth for some groups
- Not a 'classic' filler game for heavier players
- bluffing, dice manipulation, simultaneous action
- abstract, casino/dice-and-card microgame
- mechanics-driven with minimal theme
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Card elimination — played card is discarded; at end of round players discard one card to reduce future options.
- dice manipulation through cards — cards modify die value via rotation, addition, doubling, or setting to 12.
- duplicate cancellation — if multiple players play the same card, those cards cancel each other out.
- point-based rounds and two-round win condition — highest die value earns 2 points, runner-up 1; first to eight points ends the round; first to win two rounds wins the game.
- Secret card selection — each player secretly selects a card to play this round; duplicates cancel during reveal.
- simultaneous reveal and resolution — all players reveal and resolve actions after cancellations.
- variable setups with character cards — different preset roles (e.g., gambler, parasite, knight) alter interactions.
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- it's going to take around 15 minutes to play
- super light game with very little rules overhead
- it's all about bluffing and thinking what your opponent is going to do
- the production for king of 12 is excellent
- it's simple and it's pretty streamlined
- this is a decent filler