I love art. Fun fact: I started college thinking I’d become an art director. Instead, I pivoted to engineering, but my passion for wandering through museums has stayed strong. Have I ever considered robbing one? No. But after watching Money Heist and buying a bunch of painting-inspired socks, I’ve started wondering how these thieves pull it off. So why not play pretend after the heist?
In Art Robbery your crew has successfully pulled off a museum job. Now, the hardest part: dividing the loot. Do you have the alibis to avoid jail time? This card game is designed by Reiner Knizia (we’re big fans of him in my house) and published by Helvetiq. Though it doesn’t come in the traditional small Helvetiq box—it does come in a compact, portable one.
The Heist
You and your crew just pulled off a daring museum heist. The tricky part? Splitting the loot without getting caught. Art Robbery plays over four rounds—each centered around a different type of stolen art (sketches, sculptures, antiquities, and paintings)—you’ll snatch up tiles, swipe from your rivals, and do whatever it takes to keep enough alibis to stay out of jail!
Setup
It’s quick and simple:
Sort the loot tiles by type (Sketches, Sculptures, Antiquities, Paintings)
Shuffle the deck and deal five cards per player
Place the guard dog in the center
Get ready to divide the loot!
How It Plays
Each round, players use number cards to claim loot tiles—either from the middle or (when those run out) from another player’s stash. Special cards add chaos:
🐶 Guard Dog protects your loot
🕵️♂️ Greedy Thief lets you steal any tile
🎭 Boss Tiles are worth extra points, but only if you also hold a 4 or 5 value tile from the current round. If you don't, the boss tile does nothing!
The real kicker? At the end of the game, the player with the fewest alibis gets arrested—no matter how much loot they have!
How to Win
After four rounds, it’s time to see who gets away clean:
🚔 Alibis First – The player with the fewest alibis is eliminated. (Tied for last? You're all caught!)
In a 2-player game, the loser discards 10 points of loot
💰 Count the Loot – The remaining players total their haul. Boss tiles are worth 5 extra points
🤝 Tiebreaker? – The player with the most alibis wins.
Art Robbery Key Features
Knizia nails the balance of strategy and chaos. Art Robbery takes a simple ruleset and turns it into a ruthless, fast-paced game of greed, backstabbing, and last-minute survival. The alibi system keeps things tense—you can’t just hoard high-value pieces and expect to win. Additionally, the game plays well at every count though I prefer it at four or five as this makes the outcome less predictable
Pros
🎭 Quick, sneaky, and interactive
🧠 Easy to learn
🎨 Bold, colorful artwork
🌍 Language independent
🎒 Portable—take it anywhere for a fast heist!
Considerations
➖ Can get chaotic
➖ Losing to the alibi rule can feel brutal
➖ Box size is different from standard Helvetiq games, yet is small enough to travel well
The Bottom Line
Art Robbery is fast, cutthroat, and wildly entertaining. Whether you’re plotting the perfect steal or scrambling to stay out of jail, every round delivers tension and laughs. If you love clever, interactive games with a bit of bluffing, this one’s a steal—pun artsolutely intended!
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