The game can be played on a variety of surfaces such as grass, sand, concrete, snow, or even ice.

The features of kubb most distinguishing it from other pin-toppling games (such as bowling and skittles) are that 1) teams "own" opposite sides of the playing field, and 2) toppled pins are "recycled" back into play and may be tossed to opposite sides.

Endrei & Zolnay briefly note an unnamed game,[a] played in Poland "as early as the sixteenth century", which seems to exhibit both features.

[1] Though differing from kubb in detail, kaisers,[b] as published in Leipzig in 1800, displays most of the fundamental features of kubb, including team sides, recycled pins, a kingpin, and even the requirement to throw from behind one's own pins; though as in the Polish game, the main projectile is a ball rather than a baton.

[3][4][5][6][7] Sören Wallin has identified the Swedish game kägelkrig (as described in a 1911 encyclopedia[8]) as essentially the same as, and the forebear of, kubb.

[9]: 22  This game was known on the Swedish mainland at least as early as 1878, when it was described in Ungdomens Bok, a sort of Boys' Own Book.

[11]: 20 [9]: 25  In 1995 a tournament was initiated in Rone, Gotland — the Kubb World Championship — somewhat ironically titled, as it was at this time still a thoroughly local affair.

The Kubb World Championship takes place at the same time as "Medieval Week" in Visby[11]: 22  (which has been "the island's main tourist magnet since the mid 1980s"[11]: 19 ).

The center stakes are placed in the middle of the sidelines (long edges of the rectangle), which divides the pitch into two halves.

No other markers are required to demarcate the field's boundaries, although markings that do not interfere with game play are allowed (such as chalk lines).

Kubbs are considered knocked down if they end up tilting and relying on a game piece for support.)

For informal play between players of widely differing abilities, such as an adult and a child, it is permissible to shorten the length of the pitch.

(2013: Rockford, IL; 2014: Decorah, IA; 2015: Madison, WI; 2016: Madison, WI; 2017: Shakopee, MN; 2018: Canton, OH) European tournaments are held in Sweden, Germany, Switzerland, Belgium, the Netherlands, Czech Republic, the UK and Italy.