Whirly Derby
The Frogames review
Marble racing game: secret line-ups and a hard-fought podium
You're bottom of the standings, you've still got the ‘Thunderball’, and the next race could change everything.
You own a stable of racing marbles, and every race puts trophy cards up for grabs. Your aim is to get your marbles into the top three, race after race, all the way to the title of Champion of Champions.
Before each race, you secretly choose how many marbles to enter, then they all set off down the track together. Anyone finishing in the top three takes trophies. Every marble you use goes back in the box, and you decide when to get them back. After eight races, the player with the most points wins.
Whirly Derby comes out in 2025. It was designed by Tedman Getschman and is published by Asmodee.
Category:Party game · Gioco per famiglie
At a glance
Good to know. It loses its bite with two: in the BGG poll nobody rates it best at two, and a third advise against it.
What kind of gameFrogScore + Interaction Same podium, same trophies Rated by Frogames · from the rules · what the levels mean
We set the levels by reading the rules, always with the same yardstick: a 3 means the same on every game.
- each to their own
- you compete for things
- you get in the way
- you hit each other
- you attack each other
How to play
Watch a gameMarble Racing in Whirly Derby | Beer and Board Games · BlameSociety
- 1Reveal the trophiesAt the start of each race, the trophies up for grabs are revealed.
- 2Choose in secretDecide in secret how many of your marbles to commit to this race.
- 3Launch the marblesAll the chosen marbles set off down the track together.
- 4Claim the podiumFinish in the top three to take trophies. Sets earn bonus points.
Questions about Whirly Derby
Does Whirly Derby work with two players?+
You can play with two, but it isn't its best player count. In the BGG poll, nobody rates it best at two, 67% recommend it and 33% advise against it.
What's the best player count for Whirly Derby?+
Five is the best count. In the BGG poll, 78% of voters rate it best at five. At six, 44% rate it best and nobody advises against it.
How much Italian or English do you need to play Whirly Derby?+
There's no reading during play. BGG lists its language dependence as none, and this edition is in Italian.
Is Whirly Derby hard to learn?+
No, it's a light game. On BGG it has a weight of 1.08 out of 5 and is classed as a party game.
Does Whirly Derby hold up over lots of plays?+
Every race is different, because different trophies are revealed. A game lasts eight races, and each time your choices about how many marbles to risk and when to get them back change.
How much does luck matter in Whirly Derby?+
Part of the outcome depends on the track, as the chosen marbles are all launched together. The decisions lie in secretly choosing how many marbles to commit and when to get them back.
How long does a game of Whirly Derby take?+
A game takes 20 to 30 minutes and is played over eight races.
How do you win Whirly Derby?+
The player with the most points after eight races wins. Points come from trophy cards earned by finishing in the top three, with a bonus for completing sets.
What happens if I'm stuck in last place in Whirly Derby?+
You can launch the ‘Thunderball’. According to the publisher, it's the marble that helps you climb the standings when you're at the bottom.
Are used marbles lost in Whirly Derby?+
Yes, after the race they go back in the box. You can get them back with the recovery token, and picking the right moment is part of the game.
Is Whirly Derby suitable for children?+
Yes, for ages 8 and up. The rules are light, and it plays with up to six.
Who designed Whirly Derby?+
It was designed by Tedman Getschman. It's published by Asmodee and came out in 2025.
“A marble race with a real dilemma: every marble you launch today is one you won't have tomorrow.”
Who is behind Whirly Derby
Who designed it, who drew it, who publishes it, and what else they made.
All the BoardGameGeek data released 2025 · #7572 overall · Powered by BoardGameGeek +
- Rating
- 6,62/10 · 397 ratings
- Rank
- #7572 overall
- Complexity
- 1,08/5
- Year
- 2025
- Designers
- Tedman Getschman
- Categories
- Corsa
- Mechanics
- Race, Set Collection
- Language dependence
- Nessuno
Powered by BoardGameGeek
Whirly Derby in short. Marble racing game for 2–6 players, designed by Tedman Getschman and published by Asmodee in 2025. A game lasts 20 to 30 minutes, for ages 8 and up. What sets it apart is the secret choice of how many marbles to launch: the ones you use are lost until you decide to get them back. Italian edition, available at Frogames.it
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