Biergarten (2016) Board Game

Biergarten is a card game designed by Andrew Sallwasser and released in in 2016. The game is set in a traditional German beer garden, where players compete to collect sets of cards and enclose areas to earn points. With beautiful artwork by Blue Wing Games and Steamboat Gothic Studio, Biergarten offers a fun and engaging gaming experience for 2-5 players.

Game Components of Biergarten

64 individually designed cards with Alpine-inspired artwork

Scoring track with two sides (lager and ale)

Home cards

Common cards

Scoring pieces

Wild cards and shield cards

How To Setup Biergarten

To set up Biergarten, place the scoring track on the table where everyone can reach it. Choose between the normal game (lager side) or the quick game (ale side). Each player places their scoring piece beside the board. Shuffle the common cards and deal two cards to every player. Each player selects a start card from the home cards displayed, and the remaining home cards are returned to the box. Place the deck of common cards on the table and display three open cards next to it as the supply.

Gameplay Mechanics and Game Objective

Draw: Draw an open card from the supply, a facedown card from the deck, or blindly from another player’s hand.

Place: Place one card from your hand into your beer garden, ensuring it is orthogonally next to another card.

Rearrange: Optionally swap two cards in your beer garden or move one card to slide a whole column or row.

Shields: Gain points for matching shield colors; one point for one match, two points for two matches.

Umbrellas: Gain two points for seven connected umbrellas of one color (not applicable on the ale side).

Shields Bonus: Gain three points for matching all four shield colors.

Wall Bonus: Gain six points for having a completely walled-off garden.

Objective: Accumulate the most victory points (sold barrels) by cleverly placing and rearranging your cards. The game ends when one player reaches 10 or 15 points, depending on the game mode.

Player Experience

Biergarten offers a light and enjoyable gaming experience, making it perfect for a relaxed afternoon with friends. The game is easy to learn and teach but still challenging enough to keep regular players engaged. The rearrangement mechanics add a layer of complexity that makes the game interesting. The colourful artwork and thematic elements enhance the overall experience, creating a visually appealing beer garden at the end of each game.

Pros

Easy to learn and teach

Quick gameplay (about 20 minutes)

Portable and inexpensive

Suitable for both casual and regular players

Visually appealing artwork

Encourages strategic thinking in card placement and rearrangement

Cons

Rulebooks can be confusing due to translation issues

Requires a bit of table space to play

Some mechanics, like the shields and umbrellas scoring, can be complex to understand at first

Personal Thoughts on Biergarten

Biergarten is an excellent addition to any board game collection, especially for those who enjoy light, strategic games. It’s ideal for casual gamers looking for a fun, thematic experience and for regular players who appreciate the challenge of optimizing card placements. The game’s portability and quick playtime make it a great option for gatherings or travel. Overall, Biergarten balances simplicity and depth, making it a delightful game for a wide range of players.

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