‘In Tiny Epic Dinosaurs, you are Dino Ranchers, running large-scale operations on a remote tropical island. Dinosaurs are bred and sold to the highest bidders for use in popular high-thrill theme parks. But ranching these prehistoric beasts is hard and dangerous work. Do you have what it takes to out-ranch your opponents and operate the most successful dinosaur ranch?’
Gameplay: The game takes place over 6 rounds. Each round will progress through the following phases, many of which can be resolved simultaneously.
1. Collect resources: these are indicated on your ranch mat. Initially everyone starts with the same amount and as dinosaurs come into your ranch, resources will be covered up.
2. Assign ranchers: youuse your ranchers to select actions such as catching dinosaurs, getting barriers, moving barriers, fulfilling contracts, buying research cards and collecting more resources
3. Retrieve ranchers: everyone retrieves their ranchers and places any dinosaurs they have gained in their holding pen
4. Arrange ranch: then you place out your dinosaurs and any barriers you have gained this turn. Previously places barriers cannot be moved although dinosaurs can. Same species dinosaurs can be in same enclosure but if they are different they cannot be placed in same enclosure. If you cannot place a dinosaur legally, it escapes.
5. Feed dinosaurs: using your resources of meat and plants you need to feed your dinosaurs. If you cannot feed a dinosaur, it escapes. Escaping dinosaurs cause one of two penalties but this can only be applied once per round. Herbivores cause a barrier to be removed. Carnivores eat another dinosaur in your ranch causing both to be removed.
6. Breed dinosaurs: if you have two fed dinosaurs in an enclosure then they breed. You add one type of that dinosaur to your ranch. If it cannot legally be placed it escapes following the above rules
7. Refresh for next round: contracts are refilled and research cards refreshed, the turn marker moves one place forward and the game starts again
After the end of the 6th round, the game is over and players score their total victory points. You gain victory points for fulfilled contract cards, research cards, and regular dinosaurs in your ranch. The player with the most victory points is the winner.
Components:
75 wooden DinoMeeples - these come in four different types plus 15 unique dinosaurs. These are so cute and absolutely make this game. They are so tiny as suggested in the title but who doesn’t love dinosaur meeples
20 Wooden Ranchers - in 4 player colours, each player has 4 tiny meeples and a slightly less tiny lead rancher. These are used in action selection phase to procure dinosaurs, fulfil contracts, and acquire resources.
26 Wooden Barriers - used to demarcate enclosures
14 Tracker Tokens - demarcating plants, meat and supply crates, personally the cutest round marker ever - an ‘i love Dino’ cup, and a Dino egg first player marker
1 Wrangler Die - used when trying to collect free range dinosaurs to place in your park. Claw marks indicate you are injured while doing so which will mean you have to go to the medical bay. The net means you catch the dinosaur. The egg means that you collect two of the dinosaur you were trying to entice
4 player mats - this acts a handy player guide and a score track for your resources as well as the holding pen for your dinosaurs
4 ranch mats - these are the ranch land masses that you start with. They are double sided and provide your with your starting resources and a blank space on which to build enclosures
4 action mats - these are the action selection spaces which you choose in the second phase (see ranchers for details about types of actions you might take)
3 gameplay mats - these are used in the set of the space to keep track of the rounds, and place contracts and research cards on
30 research cards - these cards can be purchased to give you special abilities or unique dinosaurs - the writing is a little small it being a tiny game so it did feel like you had to keep looking at what they did especially as they change round on round
36 contract cards - these are how you sell dinosaurs making points for end of round scoring
8 solo rancher cards - for use in solo play
1 rulebook - very easy to understand
Overall thoughts: Personally in this house, we love tiny epic games. There is so much game packed into such a small box and so far they have not ever missed the mark. They are fun quick games which everyone is involved in and the components are divine. Tiny Epic Dinosaurs is no different. Who doesn’t love tiny dinosaur meeples? The game plays quickly and is easy to set up. It’s one that is memorable between times of playing it and easy to teach. There are handy guides to what should be happening so very little time is needed spending time reading the rulebook. It’s great fun in a tiny box and the whole family will love it! Go check out this and other tiny epic games.
댓글