Rainforest City (2021) Board Game

Rainforest City is a board game released in 2021 by Origame, a company known for creating educational and environmentally-themed games. The game is designed to raise awareness about the importance of protecting rainforests and the diverse species that inhabit them. With its unique gameplay mechanics and beautiful artwork, Rainforest City aims to engage players in a fun and educational experience.

Game Components of Rainforest City

Terrain cards featuring Rainforest, Mangrove forest, and Water habitats

Flora and Fauna cards

Tokens for flora, fauna, and compost

Fruit dial and fruit tokens

Player aids

Objective cards

Houses and penalty tokens

How To Setup Rainforest City

To set up Rainforest City, each player starts with two Terrain cards, forming a 4×3 grid of varied terrains. Players also receive a player aid and four personal Fruit tokens. In the center of the table, pairs of cards are arranged around a four-sided Fruit dial. The starting terrain cards are identified by their forested backs.

Gameplay Mechanics and Game Objective

Game Length: 12 turns, with fewer rounds in games with more players.

Turn Structure: Rotate the Fruit dial, claim two cards, and let other players choose one card each.

Terrain Placement: Add terrain cards to the landscape, ensuring one square aligns with existing terrain.

Flora and Fauna Placement: Place Flora and Fauna tokens on corresponding habitats; unsupported tokens go to the compost pile.

Habitat Balance: Score points for supported Flora and Fauna; flora is worth one point, herbivores two points, and carnivores three points.

House Placement: Houses are worth points but impose penalties for adjacent flora or fauna tokens.

Objective Cards: Complete specific goals related to Terrain, Flora, and Fauna for additional points.

Cooperative Mode: Players work together to complete objectives before accumulating five tokens in the compost pile.

Player Experience

Rainforest City engages players throughout, with minimal downtime as they pick and place cards on every turn. The game’s spatial puzzle aspect, where players balance supporting fauna while adding terrain, is enjoyable and challenging. The game’s graphic design and art are vibrant and clean, featuring Singaporean wildlife. However, some players may experience initial confusion with the rules and terrain card differentiation.

Pros

Engaging Gameplay: Minimal downtime with continuous player engagement.

Simple yet Strategic: Easy-to-understand turns with long-term goals.

Educational Value: Includes an educational booklet about the featured flora and fauna.

Cute Design: Adorable illustrations, particularly of pangolins and river otters.

Cons

Terrain Differentiation: Confusion due to similar colors and patterns between Rainforest and Mangrove terrains.

Limited Discovery: Gameplay becomes somewhat repetitive after a few plays.

Rulebook Clarity: Initial setup and rules can be confusing to grasp.

Personal Thoughts on Rainforest City

Rainforest City is an excellent choice for families and casual gamers looking for a game that combines strategy with educational value. It’s particularly suitable for those interested in nature and conservation. While it may lack a significant ‘wow factor,’ its streamlined gameplay and minimal downtime make it a solid addition to any family game collection. However, it might not appeal as strongly to experienced gamers seeking complex or highly variable gameplay.

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