I loved going to the Cincinnati Zoo as a child. I love all the exotic animals that the zoo had. The love for the zoo got much bigger when I moved up to Dublin, Ohio when I could go to the Columbus Zoo. The habitats seemed almost like I was with the animal from wherever they were from. Such fond memories of both of these magnificent zoos.

From Worldshapers comes a card game that allows the player to create their own zoo. Zoomaka is a card game for two to five players, ages nine years to adult, & may take around twentyfive to play.

In Zoomaka players race to be the first to open up their own zoo. Players will have to play four full park sections in different colors. Animals belong to different sections by color of their border or by the symbols found on their card.

Park sections are filled in by however many symbols are on that type of animal.

At the beginning of the game each player will receive eight cards. Each player will draw two cards on their tune, unless they have no cards then they draw eight cards.

A player may take three actions on their turn. They can place an animal into the zoo, sell off an animal placing it in their bank, play a card action, or move a multicolor animal from one section to another in their zoo.

When a player plays an animal to their zoo they will either add it to a section with the same animal type or they will start a new section. Once a section is filled they must start a new section of that same animal type but players must remember that four different animal type sections are needed to win the game.

During the game players will play Entrance cards. These cards will force the other players to pay them a fee. These fees will have to be played by pay with animals, money from their banks, or even with full sections. Paying with a full section could win the game for the player being paid.

Players will need to sell cards to the bank to make sure that they don’t pay in animals or full sections.

Players may also play actions on cards ranging from drawing extra cards to capturing animals from other zoos. Players may also respond to these cards to cancel them out.

Also a player, on their turn, may move a multicolor animal from one section of their zoo to another. This could be a very strategic way to win the game by moving over one section to play a card into a full section.

Zoomaka is a fun little card game that is currently on Kickstarter. It’ll run on Kickstarter until October 15th, 2017. You can back the game here: Zoomaka- The Card Game

A wonderful little filler for both child & adult. A lot of exotic animals to discover & a lot of actions to play.

Get ready to open your own zoo & game on!

-Christopher Richter

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