Objective
Obstgarten ("The Orchard") is a cooperative board game in which players work together to harvest four types of fruit from different trees before a raven reaches the orchard and steals the fruits.
Components
- Four fruit trees with different fruits (apples, pears, cherries, plums)
- Fruits made of wood in different colors (total of 40 fruits, 10 of each kind)
- One die with colors, a basket, and a raven symbol
- A raven puzzle consisting of 9 parts
- Game board featuring the orchard and a path for the raven
- A basket to collect harvested fruits
Setup
- Place the game board in the center of the table.
- Set up the fruits on the respective trees.
- Place the raven puzzle pieces beside the path on the game board.
- Allow each player to familiarize themselves with the game components.
Gameplay
The player who is the youngest starts the game, proceeding in a clockwise direction. 1. Roll the die: The player rolls the six-sided die. - Color: The player selects a fruit of the rolled color from the corresponding tree and places it in the basket. - Basket: The player can choose any one piece of fruit from the trees to place in the basket. - Raven: One piece of the raven puzzle is placed onto the board. 2. The game ends when: - All fruits are harvested before the raven is fully assembled. The players win. - The raven is fully assembled before all fruit is harvested. The raven wins.
Strategy and Tips
- Coordination: As it's a cooperative game, players should coordinate their dice rolls to efficiently complete the harvest. Discuss which fruits are essential to collect.
- Dice Luck: Since the game is controlled by the die roll, players must adapt when the raven progresses. Therefore, making use of the "basket" sides is crucial.
- Teamwork: Encourage teamwork and discuss the best strategic harvests, for example, when two trees are nearly empty.
Obstgarten is a simple yet exciting game for young and old, promoting team spirit and strategic sensibilities.
