Agricola

Lookout Games, 999 Games, Brain Games · Board game · 2007
1–5 · best 4 Solo 30–150 min Weight 3.6/5
8.5 rating Ludopedia
7.9 rating BGG
8.5 rating Ludopedia
7.9 rating BGG
Our Verdict

Agricola is a fantastic worker placement game for those who love deep strategic planning and the satisfaction of building a thriving farm from humble beginnings. If you enjoy a game that constantly challenges your resource management and decision-making, this is definitely one to check out.

Highlights
  • Deep strategic worker placement
  • Satisfying engine building progression
  • High replayability with varied cards
  • Rewarding long-term planning
Keep in mind
  • Can feel punishing with food demands
  • Initial learning curve is steep
  • Analysis paralysis potential for some
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
Learn How to Play Step by Step Check out our interactive rules guide and exclusive illustrated infographic.
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About the game
In Agricola, you embody a farmer and their family in a humble wooden shack, starting with limited resources. Each turn, your family gets the chance to perform essential actions for the farm's prosperity. Initially, you and your spouse have only two actions, but the possibilities are vast: plowing fields, gathering materials like wood, clay, or stone, building fences, and much more. The game evolves each round, with a new action card being revealed, expanding your strategic options. One of the crucial decisions is to expand your family to gain more workers. However, having more mouths to feed requires planning, as you'll need to expand your house and ensure there's enough food for everyone. Agricola offers various levels of complexity, primarily through the use of Occupation and Minor Improvement cards. For beginners, the family variant (called 'Family Variant' in the US release) does not use these cards. For more experienced players, the US release includes three decks of cards for each type: Basic (E-deck), Interactive (I-deck), and Complex (K-deck), encouraging experimentation with different combinations. There are also additional decks released later, such as the Z-Deck and the L-Deck. Each player starts with seven Occupation cards (out of over 160 total) and seven Minor Improvement cards (out of over 140 total) that can be incorporated into their strategy. The game is turn-based, and the main tension arises from the fact that each available action can only be taken by one player per round, making your choices crucial. There are countless strategies, many of them influenced by the cards in your hand. The ultimate goal is to accumulate the most Victory Points, which are earned through improvements made on your farm.
Rules videos

In English

Rules manual
Rules manual — Agricola English · PDF
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Game details

Categories

Families

Animals: Cattle / Cows Animals: Horses Animals: Pigs Animals: Sheep Components: Meeples (Animal) / Animeeples Components: Wooden pieces & boards
Publisher Lookout Games, 999 Games, Brain Games, Compaya.hu: Gamer Café Kft., Devir, Filosofia Éditions
Designer Uwe Rosenberg
Artist Klemens Franz
Frequently Asked Questions
How many players can play Agricola?
Agricola can be played by 1 to 5 players, making it a great option for both group game nights and a challenging solo session.
What is the average playtime for Agricola?
A game of Agricola can vary quite a bit, generally taking from 30 to 150 minutes. The time depends on the number of players and everyone's familiarity with the rules and strategies.
Is Agricola a complex game for beginners?
Agricola has a moderate to high complexity (BGG weight of 3.6353/5), but it offers a 'family variant' that removes Occupation and Minor Improvement cards, making it more accessible for new players. It's a great game to grow with!
What are the main components of the game?
The game comes with a variety of components, including game boards, wooden pieces (farmer meeples and animal 'animeeples'!), resource markers, and many Occupation and Minor Improvement cards that add depth and replayability.
What is the main objective in Agricola?
The objective is to have the most prosperous farm at the end of the game, which is measured in Victory Points. You earn points for having plowed fields, fenced pastures, animals, vegetables, grain, family members, and home improvements.
Does Agricola have a lot of player interaction?
Interaction in Agricola is primarily indirect, through competition for action spaces. Since each action can only be chosen by one player per round, you need to keep an eye on what your opponents need to block their moves or grab what they want before they do!
Are there any expansions for Agricola?
Yes, Agricola has several expansions that add new cards, mechanics, and even more players, such as the famous 'Farmers of the Moor' and various additional card decks, which further increase replayability and complexity.