Elementary
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You shake the lunch box, raise the stakes, someone calls you out. The die rolls, everyone watches. And you try not to smile as you grab the last candy another person needed.
WHAT IT IS ABOUT
Welcome to Monster Elementary, where your lunch box is your reputation
Elementary is a collaboration between Manny Vega (Flamecraft, Tea Witches) and Sandara Tang, a Singaporean illustrator known for her adorable and colorful style. The game takes us to a fantastical elementary school where vampires, satyrs, and owlbears compete for the best spot in the cafeteria.
On your turn, you roll custom Snax dice inside your lunch box (literally: the box acts as a secret rolling container), declare a result, and hope no one calls your bluff. The dice you accumulate turn into candies, chips, and treats that you exchange to recruit friendly monsters with special abilities and elemental synergies. Build your tableau, bluff your results, win the drafting from the cafeteria vending machine.
What they say abroad
"Collect Snax, make new friendships, and build the lunch table every monster wants to join"
Collect Snax, make new friendships, and build the lunch table every monster wants to join
— Littlest Lantern
This is a first read: the game has just been released, data is scarce. This description is based on official publisher information and the mechanics described. We will update it as soon as we have played the first games.
— FroGames
Elementary
BGG mechanics indicate official solo mode. Without public details on how it works (automaton? scenarios? puzzles?), it's hard to evaluate: bluffing loses meaning when playing alone, but if there's a challenge system (target score, event decks) it can work as a puzzle variant.
FrogScore · FroGames editorial rating · first read: based on rules and official presentation, updated with first playsWhat you'll find in the lunch box
The four elements of the game
Custom Snax Dice
Each die shows different snacks: candies, chips, treats. You roll them into the lunch box (which acts as a secret container), then declare what you got. Or you lie.
Friendly Monsters
Vampires, satyrs, owlbears, and other classmates. Each has unique abilities and belongs to an element. Build combos between monsters of the same type to maximize bonuses.
Vending Machine
The heart of drafting: monsters and powers available each round. Whoever wins the bluff (or isn't exposed) chooses first. Position in line matters.
Snax to Trade
Accumulated dice become currency: you spend them to recruit new monsters. Each monster costs different combinations of snacks. Collect, trade, build the perfect team.
Come si gioca
Video dimostrativo di gameplay.
🎲How to playThe rules in four steps▼
How to play
The flow of each round
Each round follows a simple structure: bluff, call, reward. Then it repeats.
Put your Snax dice in your lunch box, close it, shake it, roll it. Open it (only you see) and look at the result. This is your secret.
In turns, you declare what you rolled ("Two chips, one candy") or raise the player before you. You can tell the truth or lie. Others decide whether to believe you.
Anyone can call you: "I don't believe you." You show your dice. If you lied, you lose Snax. If you told the truth, the caller pays the price. The risk is mutual.
The winner (or whoever wasn't caught bluffing) chooses first from the dispenser: a friendly monster, a special power, extra Snax. Spend accumulated resources to recruit monsters and build your tableau.
⏱️Your first gameMoment by moment account▼
A game in five moments
What happens at the table
Not the rules. The experience.
Setup: choose your monster
Everyone takes a character (Marisol the Vampire, Billy the Satyr, Yorisou the Owlbear) and their lunch box. The dispenser fills with available monsters. Someone reads the special abilities aloud. Laughter already fills the air.
First bluff: who dares?
Shake the lunch box, roll the dice inside (no one sees), open it and declare: "Three candies and one chip". Silence. Does anyone believe you? Does anyone raise? The first to call bluff and fail pays the price. The tension is already high.
Build your team
You've accumulated enough Snax to recruit your first friendly monster. Read the ability: bonus if you have other Fire monsters, or double your Candy dice. You start to see possible combos. Others do the same. The race is on.
The legendary call
Someone declares an absurd result. Everyone looks at the closed lunch box. A voice: "I don't believe you." He opens it. It was true. The room explodes. The dispenser empties, the bluffer takes everything. This is the moment you'll tell stories about.
End of game: who has the best tableau?
Final count: points from recruited monsters, bonuses from elemental synergies, completed secret objectives. Someone wins by a hair. Someone else wants an immediate rematch. The lunch box stays on the table.
🐸What to know beforehandThree honest things, from friends▼
What to know beforehand
Three things to consider
Bluffing isn't for everyone
If no one in your group likes to lie or read others, Elementary loses half its appeal. The heart is the poker face: you declare, you bet, you call. If you prefer pure mechanics without bluffing, look elsewhere.
Limited depth
Monster synergies exist, but don't expect complex engine building. It's a light game: you build simple combos, not chains of 10 actions. For those seeking strategic weight, it will be too immediate.
Downtime in drafting
The bluffing moment is quick, but when choosing from the dispenser (especially with 4-5 players), things slow down. Each player evaluates the available monsters, synergies, and costs. In turns, it can slow down.
🏆Victory and defeatWhat the ending rewards▼
How it ends
How to win
The game ends when the monster deck runs out or someone reaches a target number of recruited friends. Points are counted.
Victory
- Victory points from recruited monsters (each monster is worth different points)
- Bonuses from elemental synergies (monsters of the same element multiply points)
- Completed secret objectives (objective cards drawn at the start of the game)
How you lose points
- Bluffs called: you lose accumulated Snax and drafting opportunities
- Wrong calls: you pay penalties when you call a bluff and were wrong
- Inefficient tableau: monsters without synergies are worth fewer points at the end of the game
Elementary promises to bring bluffing into a tableau-building system, with a unique physical twist (the lunch box) and irresistible aesthetics. It remains to be seen how it holds up at the table after 10 games.
💬Frequently Asked QuestionsQuick answers before checkout▼
Frequently Asked Questions
FAQ about Elementary
Is it suitable for people who have never played bluffing games?
Yes. The mechanics are immediate: roll dice, declare, someone believes you or not. No prior experience is needed. The learning curve is gentle, the first few games work right away. It's a good gateway to bluffing.
Does it work well with 5 players or is it better with fewer?
Based on the mechanics, the sweet spot should be 3-4 players. With 5, drafting risks slowing down (more people evaluating choices from the dispenser). With 2, bluffing loses a bit of its chaos. But these are hypotheses: the game is too new to have certain data.
How long does a game really last?
BGG indicates 45-60 minutes. With explanation and first game, allow for 75 minutes. From the second game onwards, if the group is fast, you should be within an hour. It depends a lot on how much you deliberate on drafting.
What mechanics does Elementary use?
Betting and Bluffing (the core), Dice Rolling (rolls in the lunch box), Open Drafting (choose from the dispenser), Set Collection (collect Snax and monsters), End Game Bonuses (synergies and objectives). There is also an official cooperative and solo mode, but we don't have public details.
Is it available in Italian?
No. The edition for sale is in English. The text on the cards is present (monster names, abilities, objectives), so a basic knowledge of the language is required. No official or fan-made Italian translations are currently available.
The people behind the game
Who invented it, who designed it, who publishes it — and what else they've done.
Elementary is a bluffing and drafting board game for 1-5 players, designed by Manny Vega (Flamecraft) and illustrated by Sandara Tang. Set in a fantastic elementary school populated by monsters, the game combines secret dice rolls (inside physical lunch boxes), bluff declarations, calls, and the construction of a tableau of friendly monsters with elemental abilities and synergies. The duration is 45-60 minutes, recommended age 10+. Published by Littlest Lantern in 2026. Available on FroGames.it.
Frequently Asked Questions
The answers you're looking for, no beating around the bush.
📸Do the images match the actual product?
The photos on the website often come from BoardGameGeek and are intended to give you an idea of the game. They may vary slightly from the version you receive. The content declared by the publisher is always binding.
📦Does the content of the box match what is indicated?
We always strive to provide the correct content, but minor variations are possible due to reprints or updates. The information comes directly from the publishers. If you have any questions, please contact us!
⏳How do pre-orders work?
Pre-order the game before release, payment is immediate, and the game is reserved for you. As soon as it arrives, we'll ship it right away! If there are any delays, we'll update you promptly.
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