Our Verdict
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
For fans of thematic co-ops with dynamic boards and tactical depth. A magical-animal David vs. industrial Goliath!
Highlights
- Epic, immersive narrative
- Unique mechanic blend
- High replay value
- Well-balanced asymmetry
Keep in mind
- Complex for newcomers
- Playtime can run long
- Requires translation (English)
Rules manual not indexed yet
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About the game
What you do in a play session
In *Defenders of the Wild*, you lead the animal resistance against a machine invasion turning the forest into polluting factories. Players cooperate to sabotage the construction of an industrial core, using strategic actions like clearing pollution, breaching walls, and recruiting allies. Each faction has unique abilities (Council, Order, Sect, Coven) and you assemble an animal defender team with cards enabling attacks, healing, and camp building. The modular board and machine deck ensure each game plays differently, with enemies advancing unpredictably. Victory requires coordination: everyone must build their camps and infiltrate the core before machines complete construction or kill two defenders from the same habitat. Will ancient magic and animal guerrilla tactics be enough against tanks and pollution?
Gallery
Box and component photos
Tap any photo to open fullscreen. Photos submitted by the community or publisher.
Rules videos
Learn by watching before you open the box
Best player count
BGG community vote
1
REC
2
BEST
3
REC
4
REC
Soundtrack
Ambience suggested by Melodice
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Mechanics, categories, families and credits
Mechanics
Categories
Families
Publisher
Outlandish Games, Alis Games, Broadway Toys LTD, GaGa Games, Geekach LLC, HIT Games, Matagot, MS Edizioni, TLAMA games
Designer
Henry Audubon, T.L. Simons
Artist
Meg Lemieur, T.L. Simons
Community
Data from BoardGameGeek
2,876owners
2,387wishlist
180want to play
Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers before you buy
Is it playable solo?
Yes! Well-designed solo mode where you control multiple defenders.
Recommended age?
14+ due to complexity, but some teens handle it fine.
Table space needed?
Modular board requires a large table, especially at 4 players.
Language dependence?
English only, but fan-made translations exist.
Similar to which games?
Blends Spirit Island with Root, but stands on its own.
Component count?
150+ cards (defenders, machines, events), plus tiles and tokens.
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