Colleagues - Collector's Edition
🐸 Dettagli da BoardGameGeek
Consiglio BGG sul numero di giocatori
Design & Art
Lingua
⚠️ Avvertenze
Pairs well with
FroGames — Moments You'll Remember
In five minutes, someone will pretend to be sick, someone will hide their workload, someone will drink their fifth coffee. And in the end, the one who did the least wins.
WHAT IT IS ABOUT
Surviving the office unnoticed
Giorgio Galbusera signs this party game that transforms office life into a race for mediocrity. Illustrated by Marco Salogni, the game captures the daily absurdity of useless meetings, endless emails, and absurd bosses. Three work weeks, one goal: never stand out.
Every day you play Effort cards to survive. Whoever plays the highest card gets extra work. Whoever plays the lowest receives a reprimand. The art is to stay in the middle, invisible. You use Coffee tokens to bluff, feign illness, or disappear during meetings. When the three weeks are over, whoever has the fewest points wins.
What they say abroad
A game that makes you laugh because you live it every day
— FroGames
Mediocrity has never been so strategic
— FroGames
Colleagues
FrogScore · FroGames editorial rating · based on rules, international reviews, and play sessionsYour survival tools
Cards and tokens to stay invisible
Effort Cards
Every day you play one. The number decides if you get extra work (highest), a reprimand (lowest), or escape unscathed (in the middle). Your hand refreshes, but never quickly enough.
Coffee Tokens
The currency of bluffing. You use them to change cards, feign illness, or disappear in meetings. Few but precious. When they run out, you're exposed.
Event Cards
Urgent emails, surprise meetings, absurd requests from the boss. They change the day's rules and force you to adapt or sink.
Negative Points
Reprimands, overtime, workload. They accumulate for three weeks. In the end, whoever has the fewest wins. The glory of mediocrity.
At the end of the game, you'll have a story to tell. It usually starts with 'when I faked being sick on Friday' and ends with laughter.
A game in five moments
What happens at the table
Not the rules. The experience.
Monday Morning
Draw your starting hands. Everyone looks at their cards trying to figure out which will be the lowest to play. Someone is already counting coffee tokens. The week starts calmly, but no one trusts it.
The First Reprimand
Someone played too low. They get the first negative point and their face turns serious. The others chuckle, but they know it will be their turn too. Coffees start circulating to cover tracks.
Mid-week
Tension rises. Good cards are gone, hands are full of awkward numbers. Someone uses a coffee to feign illness and skip their turn. The strategy becomes reading others: who is about to sink?
The Legendary Moment
An Event card arrives that turns everything upside down: mandatory meeting, the boss assigns extra work randomly. The table explodes. Those who planned three turns end up with a load of points. Laughter covers expletives.
Friday Evening
Third week, last day. Points are counted. Those who stayed under the radar win with pride. Those who accumulated overtime and reprimands promise revenge. Someone is already suggesting a rematch.
How to play
The flow of each workday
Each round is a day. Three weeks, fifteen days total. Survive one at a time.
Some days begin with an Event card that changes the rules. Urgent emails, meetings, boss's requests. It applies immediately.
Everyone secretly chooses a card from their hand and reveals it together. Whoever plays the highest takes extra work. Whoever plays the lowest gets a reprimand.
Before or after playing, you can spend coffee to change cards, skip your turn by feigning illness, or hide in a meeting. Crucial decisions.
You draw a card to replenish your hand. You advance to the next day. At the end of the third week, total negative points are counted.
Why it's different from others
Six mechanics that make a difference
The one who loses (least) wins
The inverted objective changes everything. You don't want to be the best, you want to be invisible. Psychologically freeing: you can play badly on purpose and win. The paradox of mediocrity becomes strategy.
Coffee Tokens as tactical currency
They are not just resources. They are life choices. Do you use a coffee to feign illness or save it for next week? Scarcity makes them precious, bluffing makes them fun.
Highest-Lowest simultaneously
The mechanic punishes both those who do too much and those who do too little. Staying in the middle is difficult when everyone is trying to do the same. Reading others becomes fundamental.
Events that turn everything upside down
Event cards are not decorative. They change the day's rules, overturn strategies and force adaptation. Mandatory meetings, brought-forward deadlines, absurd requests. The office in its chaotic glory.
Universal theme
Anyone who has worked in an office recognizes the dynamics. Feigning illness, passing off work, hiding. The game doesn't explain: it evokes. And it's funny because it's true.
Three weeks of escalation
It's not a single round repeated fifteen times. Points accumulate, coffees run out, hands get worse. The pressure increases. The last Friday is always the most tense and the most fun.
How it ends
How to win and how to sink
After three weeks, negative points are counted. Whoever has the least wins. Whoever has the most has probably climbed the career ladder.
Victory (or survival)
- Accumulate fewer negative points than everyone else by staying in the middle during workdays
- Use Coffee tokens at the right time to avoid reprimands and workloads
- Read opponents and pass extra work onto them by playing strategic cards
Moral Dismissal
- You too often play the highest card and accumulate overtime upon overtime
- You play too low too often and reprimands pile up mercilessly
- You run out of Coffee tokens too early and are exposed for the last week
A party game that transforms daily frustration into strategic revenge. Perfect for those who want to laugh at the office without going back to the office.
Frequently asked questions
Colleagues FAQ
Does it work well with two players or do you need a group?
It works for two to five, but the chaos and bluffing really explode with at least three players. With two, it's more tactical and predictable. With four or five, it becomes unpredictable and fun. It depends on what you're looking for: a duel or a party.
Is it too light for frequent players?
Depends. If you're looking for Brass-level depth, it's not for you. If you're looking for a clever filler that makes you laugh and has enough strategy not to get boring after three games, then yes. Hand management and coffee timing keep it engaging.
Do 8-year-olds understand the irony of office work?
The minimum age is 8, but the theme is adult. Children can play (the rules are simple) but won't grasp the sarcasm. It works better with teenagers or adults who have experienced workplace absurdity.
How long does a game really last?
Between 20 and 30 real minutes. Fifteen quick turns, little analysis paralysis. Perfect as an aperitif or to end an evening. If you're slow to decide, it can reach 35, but that's rare.
Is it available in Italian?
Yes, this is the Italian edition published by Creardo. Cards, rulebook, and components entirely in Italian. Ready to play as soon as you open the box.
Colleagues is a party game for 2-5 players that transforms office life into ironic strategy. Designed by Giorgio Galbusera and illustrated by Marco Salogni, the game uses hand management and bluffing mechanics to create a competitive experience where the goal is to remain mediocre. Each game lasts 20-30 minutes across three simulated work weeks. Published by Creardo, it combines highest-lowest scoring with coffee tokens for bluffing and feigning illness. Recommended age 8+ years, but the theme resonates with adults who recognize workplace dynamics. Available on FroGames.it.
Colleagues - Collector's Edition
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.
🔒Can I trust buying here?
Absolutely! Secure payments, tracked shipments, and a team that loves board games as much as you do. If something goes wrong, we'll do our best to fix it.
🛠There's a problem with my order, what should I do?
Write to us now! Whether it's a missing part, damage, or an error, we'll help you resolve it as soon as possible. Your experience truly matters to us.