How to Play

Agent Avenue

2-4 players 10-20 min 7.6 Board Game Geek Rating

In Agent Avenue, retired animal spies compete in a suburban setting using an "I split, you choose" mechanic. Each turn, play one card face-up and one face-down; opponents select which they want. Collect agent sets and deploy spy tools while bluffing your way through strategic decisions. Victory comes from uncovering your opponent's secret identity first in this blend of set collection and deduction.

Published 2024

Get Ready

Setup the game with these step-by-step instructions before diving into your turn.

Place the board

Put the board in the center of the table with the simple mode side face up (or advanced mode side with black market spaces for advanced play)

Choose colors

Each player chooses a color and takes the matching meeple

Position meeples

Place each meeple on its corresponding home space on the board

Shuffle agent cards

Shuffle all 38 agent cards together

Deal starting hands

Deal 4 agent cards to each player

Create agent deck

Put remaining agent cards in a face-down draw pile called the agent deck

Determine first player

The player who watched a spy movie most recently goes first

Advanced mode - Prepare black market

Shuffle the 15 black market cards and place 3 face up as the black market supply; put remaining cards as a face-down black market deck

Team variant setup

Divide into 2 teams with teammates sitting next to each other; deal each player 4 cards (teammates cannot look at or reveal cards to each other)

On Your Turn

What you can do during your turn.

Maintain hand size

Whenever you have less than 4 agent cards in hand, draw cards from the agent deck until you have 4

Optional discard

Before playing cards, you may discard a card face down in front of you to draw a new one (maximum 4 times per game; 2 times per player in team variant)

Play two cards

Play 2 cards from your hand to the center of the table - 1 face up and 1 face down

Different names required

The two cards must have different card names (exception: if all cards in hand share the same name)

Refill hand

After playing both cards, draw from the agent deck until you have 4 cards

Opponent chooses first

Your opponent selects 1 of the 2 cards you played and places it face up in front of them

You take the other

Place the remaining card face up in front of you with your other recruited agents

Check agent count

Count how many agents of that same name you have in play:

Move your meeple

Move forward (clockwise) by the indicated number; negative numbers mean move backward (counterclockwise); zero means don't move

Both players move

Your opponent also moves their meeple based on the agent they recruited

Black market trigger (advanced)

If your meeple lands exactly on a black market space, choose 1 card from the supply and replace it immediately from the deck

Instant abilities

Resolve the ability immediately, then discard the card

Ongoing abilities

Place face up in front of you; the ability remains active for the rest of the game

Check win/lose conditions

After both meeples move, check if any player fulfills a victory or defeat condition

Continue play

If no conditions are met, your turn ends and your opponent's turn begins

Winning

How to claim victory.

Catch opponent's meeple

Win the game if your meeple's position reaches or exceeds your opponent's meeple position

Collect 3 Codebreakers

Win the game if you have 3 Codebreaker cards in play

Avoid 3 Daredevils

Lose the game if you have 3 Daredevil cards in play

Running out of cards

If the agent deck is empty and your opponent has less than 2 cards in hand (no cards in team variant), the game ends; the player closer to catching their opponent wins

Tiebreaker rule

In any tie situation, the active player (whose turn it is) wins:

Advanced mode win conditions

Some ongoing black market abilities provide additional ways to win during the End step