First Orchard (2009) Board Game

First Orchard is a children’s cooperative board game designed by Anneliese Farkaschovsky and published by HABA in in 2009. It is aimed at children aged 2 and up, making it one of the first board games that young children can enjoy. The game is designed to teach young children about colors, taking turns, and working together towards a common goal.

Game Components of First Orchard

1 game board

4 fruit trees

1 raven jigsaw puzzle

1 color-symbol die

4 baskets

4 apples

4 pears

4 cherries

4 plums

How To Setup First Orchard

Place the game board in the center of the playing area.

Each player chooses a fruit tree and places it on the corresponding colored circle on the game board.

Place the raven puzzle on the raven space on the game board.

Place the fruits in the baskets within reach of all players.

The youngest player starts the game.

Gameplay Mechanics and Game Objective

In First Orchard, players work together to harvest all the fruit from the trees before the raven puzzle is completed. On a player’s turn, they roll the color-symbol die and then pick a fruit of the corresponding color from one of the trees and place it in their basket. If the raven puzzle is completed before all the fruit is harvested, the players lose.

Player Experience

Pros:

Cooperative gameplay promotes teamwork and communication skills.

Simple rules make it easy for young children to understand and play.

Colorful and engaging components capture children’s attention.

Cons:

Limited replay value for older children and adults.

Luck-based gameplay may not appeal to more strategic players.

Game may be too easy for older children, leading to boredom.

Personal Thoughts on First Orchard

First Orchard is a great introduction to board games for young children. The cooperative gameplay teaches important skills like teamwork and communication, while the colorful components make it visually appealing. However, the game may not hold the interest of older children or adults for long due to its simplistic mechanics. Overall, First Orchard is worth considering for families with young children who want a fun and educational game to play together. Older children and adults may find more enjoyment in other cooperative games with more complex gameplay.

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