Llamaland Game

Llamas peacefully graze on the mountain-side while farmers plant and harvest crops (potatoes, cacao and corn). In this perfect setting for a challenging and fun game that consists of both strategic tile-laying and resource collection and management mechanics, players choose goals and use five different shaped tiles to help create a mountainside tableau which will produce the crops that they need to trade to fulfill their goals. Each turn consists of two basic choices using available tiles – either extend the farm and mountain geography that starts with the player’s base board or build up from the existing farmland area. If a player decides to extend their farm, they will also be able to “claim” one of seven different goals that vary from game-to-game. When a player decides to add height to their farm area, they will gain one or more of five different resources as they cover squares that depict those resources. Three of these squares are crops which are either corn, cacao or potatoes. The other two squares are coins (which can be traded for resources) or village huts which will allow a player to choose a character card. Character cards can be used each turn to either trade between two resources, a resource and a coin as well as reward the player with additional resources. When a player has collected four of the same crop, he may turn in those crops and claim one of the three different crop cards which have varying point values. The crop cards also coincide with three of the game goals of collecting four of one of the crop cards. At that time, they claim a llama that they may place on their farm board now or at a time most advantageous to meet a claimed goal. Claimed goals can consist of collecting four of any one type of card that depict the three crops (corn, cacao or potatoes) or with placement of llamas in specific number and on specific layers of tiles on the mountain tableau that each player is building. For instance, one of these goals might be to place two llamas on the fourth tile layer or one llama on each of four layers. Points will vary based on the difficulty level of the goals chosen. The end of the game is triggered when either only four total game tiles remain or two of the three types of crop cards have all been played. Points are awarded for specified llama cards, llama placement goal points and remaining crops and coins that are unused. Some special things about this game are that it can be played in a very relaxed manner, or it can be a very intense brain-burning strategy puzzle. This is because there is room for competition for goals, resources and cards but also fun in fitting together the different shaped cards to build a multi-dimensional farm estate. The llamas are fun and Llamaland is also a beautifully designed game with quality game pieces. For 2 to 4 players, with a 30 to 60-minute playtime.