Unmatched
with more than 4 players
Unmatched officially supports 2-4 players, but can you play with more? The short answer is yes. Ultimately, Unmatched is a board game designed to bring fun and enjoyment to the players, and sometimes the best fun you can have is to break the rules a bit.
There are some caveats to playing with more than 4 players. The game was designed with the idea of 4 players being the max, so game balancing, board space, and time constraints can be an issue. We are here to mitigate some of these issues and offer the best game variations for 5 players, 6 players, and even 8+ players. Plus, we’ve included a few hosting tips.
Unmatched with 5 Players
Here at Gridbeast, we started our venture into Unmatched with a group of 4 friends. Over time, that group quickly grew, and we have often found our Unmatched game nights with 5 players. The good news is with 5 players, an Unmatched FFA (Free-For-All) isn’t game-breaking. The one additional player may cause the game to take more time to complete, but we have found that it isn’t significant.
The biggest concern for 5 players is spacing. Some boards work better than others, but playing any board that supports 4 players is feasible. You can add more board space by combining maps, but with 5 players this usually isn’t needed.
Unmatched with 6 Players
Playing Unmatched with 6 Players is where issues will be brought to light, but it is still easy to manage. There are three fun variants to play with 6 players: FFA, three teams of 2, and two teams of 3. Our favorite is playing with three teams of 2, which brings a lot of fun and chaos to the game. Whatever game variant you pick, you will need to accommodate time and board space.
Six player games do take longer to complete. Even so, the team variations can help speed that up, and at the very least help players feel more involved because their teammate’s turn is closely tied to their actions. Just be sure to stagger turns so that teammates do not go back-to-back. Each team should have 1 turn before any team’s 2nd turn in a single round.
Board spacing also needs to be addressed. The easiest way to fix this is to simply combine boards; all it takes is to place an additional board to a side and clearly indicate paths to travel. A simple string can accomplish this without permanently drawing on the boards. We have found that one 4-player board combined with half or a third of another is all the space you will need. We have noticed less space is needed than you think, but you need options for heroes who don’t excel in brawls.
Unmatched with 8+ Players
8 players become quite the challenge to manage both within the game and hosting; however, it is feasible and can make for a great game night. With 8 players, we like to rule out FFA because of time and individual player’s attention spans. Stick to team variants such as 2v2v2v2 or 4v4 to help keep all players interested and the game moving. You will need to combine boards as well to accommodate for space.
Another option is to simply host a friendly FFA or 2v2 tournament. You can run 2 boards at one time if the space allows and let one set of winners face off with the other, and the losers face each other. Playing this way means you are not all playing on the same board, which is why you probably are reading this article in the first place, but we assure you the tournament style is just as fun and keeps the night moving! This method also allows for more games, as a single 8 player game takes significantly longer to complete.
If you have more than 8, then simply follow the same logic of trying to speed up the game, and give players space both in the game and around the table. For games with an odd number players, we have found giving one person an additional hero to control in team battles to be successful.
Bonus Tips
With this many players, games can quickly get chaotic, and while that is part of the fun it can also be a challenge to manage. As a host, here are some extra tips to make the game night run smoothly:
- Lay down the house and game rules before the game starts
- Allow players to mingle beforehand to get all the extra chatter out of the way
- Provide food and drinks to pass the time
- PROTECT your and your guest’s Unmatched games
Unmatched isn’t the cheapest of games, and it is a shame to see the beautiful artwork of a card damaged. With 6 or more players, chances are not everyone will value the equipment as you do, so be clear with house rules and protect your cards. Using sleeves is an excellent option because accidents do happen!
What is your favorite way to play Unmatched with more than 4 players? We invite you to share your thoughts and questions by leaving a comment below. We love hearing from our readers and would be happy to help in any way we can!
