Savannah Park Game

Imagine being the ranger of a newly created African wildlife park! What would you need to do to create a thriving environment that nourishes herds of six different animal types? This game presents this challenge in a unique way as players relocate herds of animals to a new area in the most beneficial way to the animals. In creating this park, it is desirable to have the most possible watering holes, trees and grasses for each herd of six different animal types in order for them to thrive and finish the game with the most valuable wildlife park. To start, players choose one of four colors that matches to a player board, and receives a cute box that holds all of their matching wildlife tiles, ranger, and Meerkat player markers. These individual boxes are a unique, creative way to store game components, keeping them separate for storage and timely setup for each game. The wildlife tiles contain groups of various numbers of either the same animal or a variety of animals. To start, each player randomly places all of their game tiles on their boards face up, choosing the tiles one at a time from a shuffled pile until it is populated. Then, players take turns choosing one tile at a time to remove from the board turn over and place back on the board in an available space with the goal of placing as many contiguous groups of animals together. Also important strategically, is to have as many watering holes as possible in each herd, while trying to cover as few trees and grass areas as possible. To add to the challenge, three bush fire areas with either one, two, or three fires within it reside on board spaces. Single animals located next to a single fire will not earn points nor will two and three animal groups placed next to areas with the same number of fires. The game ends when all animal tiles are in new locations. A main board with a scoring track helps players keep count as they tally up each scoring category. Players earn points for the largest herd of each of six animal types multiplied by the number of watering holes contained in each group. Groups with no watering holes receive no points. Players also gain points for the total number of tress and grasses that are still visible. Tiles that are next to burn areas containing the same number of fires as animals on adjoining tiles are taken off the player board and not scored. This is a fast moving, fun but strategic tile laying game for 1-4 players with a playtime of 20-40 minutes. There is a solo mode for score challenges as well as a variant of increased difficulty using the other side of the player board with additional bush-fire and tree tokens. Also included is a mode for younger children that lessens the challenge of the standard game.