Incubation (2019) Board Game

Incubation is a board game released in 2019 by Synapses Games. Designed by Carl Brière and illustrated by Katy Grierson, this game falls under the categories of Animals, Card Game, Dice, Fantasy, and Farming. With a runtime of 30-40 minutes and recommended for players aged 8 and above, Incubation is a game that involves dice rolling, push your luck, and set collection mechanics.

Game Components of Incubation

Dragon Eggs

Incubators

Water Drops

Fire tokens

Coins

Objective cards

Treasure tokens

Hybrid and mystery eggs

Four different types of dragon eggs

How To Setup Incubation

To set up Incubation, players first distribute the incubators and initial resources such as Water Drops and Fire tokens. Each player receives a set of dragon eggs, and the objective cards are shuffled and placed within reach. The game board is set up to display the market and the areas for placing hatched dragons and resources.

Gameplay Mechanics and Game Objective

Resource Collection: Players collect Water Drops, Fire tokens, and Coins to feed their dragon eggs.

Dice Rolling: The game involves push-your-luck dice rolling to hatch the eggs.

Incubation: Eggs are placed in incubators and hatched using the collected resources.

Objective Completion: Hatched dragons are used to fulfill objective cards, earning coins.

Market Exchange: Dragons are exchanged on the market to gain Treasures and coins.

Victory Points: The player with the most coins, earned through hatched dragon eggs, completed objectives, and collected tokens, wins the game.

Player Experience

Incubation is praised for its ease of learning and simple setup, making it an excellent choice for families and new players. The gameplay is engaging enough for adults to enjoy, with beautiful artwork and straightforward mechanics. Players appreciate the ability to modify the rules for increased accessibility.

Pros

Easy to learn and set up

Simple yet engaging gameplay

Beautiful artwork

Great for families and new players

Modifiable rules for increased accessibility

Cons

Limited complexity for experienced gamers

Dependency on luck due to dice rolling mechanics

Personal Thoughts on Incubation

Incubation is an ideal game for families, new board game enthusiasts, and anyone looking for a fun, light-hearted gaming experience. It offers a perfect blend of strategy and luck, making it enjoyable for both children and adults. However, experienced gamers might find it too simplistic. Overall, it is a great addition to any family game night collection due to its easy-to-learn nature and quick playtime of about 30 minutes.

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