Writing clear, engaging board game instructions is one of the most challenging aspects of game design.
In fact, a poorly written rulebook can kill even the most innovative game concept. I’ve seen brilliant games fail simply because players couldn’t figure out how to play them.
How to write board game instructions effectively requires understanding your audience, organizing information logically, and presenting rules in a way that minimizes confusion while maximizing engagement.
In this post, as a professional custom board game manufacturer, I will share everything about writing board game instructions.
Why Most Board Game Instructions Fail
Here’s the thing: most rulebooks are written by designers who know their games inside and out. They forget what it’s like to encounter the game for the first time.
This creates what I call the “curse of knowledge gap.”
The designer assumes players understand concepts that seem obvious to them. But to a new player? These assumptions create confusion and frustration.
According to recent industry data, 73% of board game purchases never make it to the table more than once. Poor instructions are a major contributing factor.
The 3 Audiences for Your Rulebook
Before you write a single word, you need to understand who’s reading your instructions:
The First-Time Player: Someone who’s never seen your game before. They need context, examples, and clear explanations of basic concepts.
The Active Player: Someone currently playing who needs quick rule clarifications or edge case resolutions.
The Returning Player: Someone who played months ago and needs a refresher on key mechanics.
Your rulebook needs to serve all three audiences simultaneously. That’s why organization is crucial.
How to Write Board Game Instructions
Step 1: Start With the Big Picture
Your opening section should answer four critical questions in this exact order:
- Who are you? (Set the theme and context)
- Where and when are you? (Establish the game world)
- What are you trying to do, and why? (Define the core objective)
- How will you do this? (Transition to mechanics)
For example, instead of jumping straight into setup, try something like:
“You are rival ship captains in the Golden Age of Piracy. Your goal is to accumulate the most treasure before the Royal Navy arrives. You’ll accomplish this by raiding merchant vessels, recruiting crew members, and upgrading your ship.”
This gives players immediate context for everything that follows.
Bottom line: Don’t make players guess what they’re supposed to be doing.
Step 2: Master the Component Inventory
List every single component with clear descriptions. Include pictures whenever possible.
Here’s why this matters: players use the component list as an anchor throughout the game. When they encounter “Canal Tokens” in the rules, they need to quickly identify what those are.
Pro tip: Group similar components together and use consistent naming throughout your entire rulebook.
Step 3: Create a Logical Information Hierarchy
Structure your rulebook like an upside-down tree:
- Top: Big picture concepts (objective, overview)
- Middle: Core mechanics (turn structure, actions)
- Bottom: Specific details (edge cases, variants)
Never create circular references where players need to jump between sections to understand a single concept.
The Turn Structure Framework
Most successful games use memorable frameworks for turn structure. Think Dominion’s “ABC” system:
- Action phase
- Buy phase
- Cleanup phase
Create similar mnemonics for your game. They’re incredibly powerful teaching tools.
Writing Rules That Actually Work
Use Active Voice and Present Tense
Write like you’re speaking directly to the player:
❌ “Cards are drawn by players”
✅ “You draw cards”
❌ “When a player would move their piece”
✅ “When you move your piece”
This keeps instructions personal and immediate.
Follow the One-Breath Rule
Every sentence in your rulebook should be readable in a single breath. If you can’t speak it without gasping, it’s too long.
Long sentences create cognitive load. Players stop to re-read them, breaking their flow.
Handle Edge Cases Strategically
Don’t ignore edge cases, but don’t let them dominate your main rules either.
Use this formula: “If X happens, then Y. (See sidebar for rare exceptions.)”
Address the 90% case in your main text. Handle the 10% case in clearly marked sidebars.
The Power of Examples
Examples aren’t optional—they’re essential.
But don’t waste examples on obvious interactions. Use them for:
- Edge cases that conflict with intuitive play
- Complex interactions between multiple game elements
- Timing issues where sequence matters
Here’s what Glory to Rome does brilliantly: their rulebook includes a supplement showing exactly how different card combinations interact. This prevents countless forum posts asking “But what happens when…?”
Visual Design That Supports Learning
Screenshots Over Descriptions
A single setup photo with numbered callouts beats three paragraphs of text description.
Even if you’re still prototyping, take a phone photo of your game setup and add simple number overlays.
Use Formatting to Show Priority
- Bold for important warnings
- Italics for game terms when first introduced
Code formattingfor exact card text- Blockquotes for key rules summaries
Consistent Visual Language
If you use red text for warnings, use red text for ALL warnings. Don’t switch to bold orange halfway through.
Inconsistent formatting trains players to ignore your visual cues.
Testing Your Instructions
The Blind Playtest Method
Hand your rulebook to someone who’s never seen your game. Don’t say a word.
Watch where they get confused. Note every question they ask.
These confusion points are your rulebook’s failure modes. Fix them before you publish.
The Phone Test
Can someone learn your game by reading the rules over the phone to a friend? If not, your instructions rely too heavily on visual elements.
Advanced Techniques
The Glossary Strategy
For games with lots of unique terms, include a comprehensive glossary. But don’t use it as a crutch—define terms clearly in context first.
Player Aid Integration
Design your player aids to complement your rulebook, not repeat it. Use player aids for:
- Turn sequence reminders
- Scoring calculations
- Quick reference charts
Variant Organization
Put variants and optional rules in an appendix. Don’t let them clutter your core rules.
Players need to master the base game before they explore variations.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
The Humor Trap
Resist the urge to make your rulebook “fun” with jokes and theme text. Players want clarity first, entertainment second.
Save the humor for flavor text on cards or components.
Keyword Inconsistency
If you call something “Energy” in one section, don’t call it “Power” in another. Nothing frustrates players more than inconsistent terminology.
The Everything-Is-Important Fallacy
Not every rule deserves equal emphasis. Use formatting to show what’s crucial versus what’s nice-to-know.
Technical Writing Best Practices
Front-Load Important Information
Put the most critical information at the beginning of each section. Don’t bury key rules in the middle of paragraphs.
Use Parallel Structure
If you’re listing actions, start each one with a verb:
- Draw a card
- Play an action
- Discard to hand limit
This creates rhythm and makes information easier to process.
Avoid False Choices
Every decision in your game should matter. If there’s an obviously correct choice 90% of the time, eliminate the choice or rebalance the options.
The 2025 Rulebook Standard
Modern players expect certain conveniences:
- QR codes linking to video tutorials
- Digital versions optimized for tablets
- Multi-language support for international markets
- Accessibility features for players with visual impairments
Don’t ignore these trends. They’re becoming table stakes for serious games.
Measuring Success
Track these metrics to gauge your rulebook’s effectiveness:
- Setup time for new players
- Rule questions during first play
- Teaching success rate (can players teach others?)
- Return rate (how often do players replay?)
The Publishing Reality
Here’s something most designers don’t realize: publishers will likely rewrite your rulebook completely.
But that doesn’t mean you should slack off. A clear, well-organized rulebook demonstrates that you understand your game deeply. It shows professionalism and attention to detail.
Plus, you’ll need good rules for playtesting regardless.
Final Thoughts
Writing excellent board game instructions is hard work. It requires empathy, organization, and relentless testing.
But it’s also one of the highest-leverage activities in game design. A great rulebook can make a good game feel amazing. A bad rulebook can make an amazing game feel broken.
How to write board game instructions comes down to this: respect your players’ time and intelligence, organize information logically, and test everything with real people.
Your players will thank you. And more importantly, they’ll actually play your game.
The difference between a game that sits on the shelf and one that gets played regularly often comes down to a single factor: how well you’ve explained the rules.
Make that explanation count.
