Saboteur
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- Arrives
- January 15, 2027
- Order by
- 18 October 2026
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The FroGames card
Someone is building the tunnel to the gold. Someone else is sabotaging it. And you don't know who is who until it's too late.
WHAT IT'S ABOUT
Dwarves, pickaxes, and backstabbing
Designed by Fréderic Moyersoen in 2004 and published by AMIGO, Saboteur is the party game that made hidden betrayal its trademark. With over 36,000 ratings on BoardGameGeek and translations all over the world, it has become a classic for anyone looking for large groups, simple rules, and paranoia at the table.
Each player takes on the role of a dwarf miner. Some dig towards the gold, while others secretly sabotage it. Play tunnel cards to build paths, or use broken pickaxes and cave-ins to stop the others. The problem? You don't know who is on your side. Until the end of the round, everything is suspicious: was that card they played really useful, or did they just block your path?
What they say abroad
"Players take on the role of dwarves."
— AMIGO
Twenty years later and they're still playing it everywhere. Why it works: fast, scalable, and everyone is shouting.
— FroGames
Saboteur
FrogScore · FroGames editorial review · based on rules, international reviews, and play sessionsThe cards you play
Build, sabotage, accuse
Tunnel Cards
Straight paths, curves, intersections. You play them to build the path to the gold. Or to make it look like you're building it while closing dead ends.
Action Cards
Broken pickaxes, extinguished lamps, cave-ins that remove tunnels. You use them to stop the others. Or to pretend you're a miner defending the group from a saboteur.
Repair Cards
Repair pickaxes and lamps. Essential for unblocking those who have been stopped. Or to give the impression you're on the right side.
Map Cards
You look at one of the three face-down objective cards to find out where the gold is. Crucial information. If you share it, will they believe you?
🎲How to playThe rules in four steps▼
How to play
The flow of each turn
Your turn lasts ten seconds. Choose one of the three actions, play a card, and pass the turn.
Place a tunnel card adjacent to the existing path. The paths must match. You can build toward the gold or create dead ends while pretending to help.
Break someone's pickaxe or lamp, repair your own tool, cause a piece of tunnel to collapse, or use a Map to look at an Objective card.
If you don't have any useful moves (or want to make it seem like you don't), discard a face-down card. Then draw to return to a full hand.
When the gold is reached or the deck runs out, the roles are revealed. The winners split the Gold cards. The roles are reshuffled, and the game starts again.
⏱️Your first gameThe play-by-play, moment by moment▼
A game in five stages
What happens at the table
Not the rules. The experience.
The secret roles
Everyone receives a Nano card: Miner or Saboteur. You look at it, but don't show it. The table looks around in silence. Everyone pretends to be a miner. The game hasn't started yet, but you already don't trust anyone.
The first tunnels
The game starts from the Start card, and players build toward the three face-down Objective cards. Some play straight tunnels, while others build strange curves. Is it strategy or sabotage? It's impossible to tell. Everyone seems to be cooperating.
The first broken pickaxe
Someone plays an Action card and breaks another player's pickaxe. Accusations fly immediately. "You're a saboteur!" "No, I saw you building it wrong!" The table splits. Paranoia explodes.
The gold is close
The tunnel approaches one of the Objective cards. Someone plays a Map and discovers where the gold is. They don't tell everyone. Who is building in that direction? Who is diverting the path? Alliances fall apart.
End of round
Either the gold is reached (the miners win), or the deck runs out (the saboteurs win). The roles are revealed. Half the table shouts that they were betrayed, while the other half laughs. The gold is distributed, and the game starts again. Two more rounds, the same suspects, new traitors.
🐸Good to know beforehandThree honest things, from friends▼
Good to know beforehand
Three things you need to know
Your hand can screw you
If you're a miner and draw only actions or crooked tunnels, you won't build anything. If you're a saboteur and draw only straight tunnels, you have to play them so you don't look suspicious. The luck of the draw matters.
It gets worse with fewer than 5 players
With three or four players, the roles are too obvious and the bluff falls apart. The box says 3–10, but the best experience starts with 5 players.
After ten games, it gets repetitive
The cards are always the same, and the tactics become predictable. It remains fun for the social paranoia, but anyone looking for strategic depth will get bored quickly.
🏆Victory and defeatWhat determines the outcome▼
How it ends
How you win and lose
The player who accumulates the most gold after three rounds wins. But each round has different winners and losers.
Victory (miners or saboteurs)
- The miners win if they build a continuous path to the Objective card with the gold
- The saboteurs win if the deck runs out before the gold is reached
- At the end of the third round, the player with the most gold nuggets wins the game
Defeat
- The miners lose the round if the deck runs out before the gold is reached
- The saboteurs lose if the miners complete the tunnel
- The player who accumulates the least gold after three rounds loses the game (but still laughs)
Saboteur is the party game that doesn't pretend to be anything else: thirty minutes, up to ten players, and zero downtime. It works because it's honest.
💬Frequently asked questionsQuick answers before you add it to your cart▼
Frequently asked questions
Saboteur FAQ
How many players are needed for the best experience?
The box says 3–10, but the best experience starts with 5 players. With fewer than 5, the roles are too obvious and the bluff loses its edge. 6–8 is ideal: enough to create chaos, but not so many that the game slows down.
What mechanics does Saboteur use?
Hidden roles, hand management, network building (tunnels), and take-that (Action cards played against other players). It's a classic traitor game where half the table works against the other without anyone knowing until the end.
Can children under 8 play?
Technically yes, the rules are simple. The problem is the bluff: young children struggle to hide their roles and tend to play too obviously. It works best for ages 8 and up, when they understand strategic deception.
Are there expansions?
Yes, there is Saboteur 2 (which adds new roles and actions) and other expansions. This is the base edition, which on its own offers everything you need for dozens of games.
Is it available in Italian?
This Panda Saurus edition is in English. The text on the cards is minimal (icons and symbols), but the rules and Action cards are in English. You'll need translated rules or a quick read-through.
The people behind the game
Who invented it, who designed it, who publishes it — and what else they've done.
Saboteur is a party game by Fréderic Moyersoen for 3–10 players, with a playtime of 30 minutes and a recommended age of 8+. Published by Panda Saurus, it uses hidden roles, path-building, and traitor game mechanics: some players are miners digging for gold, while others are saboteurs trying to stop them without getting caught. Each game lasts three rounds, with roles revealed at the end and gold distributed to the winners. Ideal for large groups, casual game nights, and players looking for immediate bluffing without complex rules. 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?
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📦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!
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