# PARKS: Wildlife ## General Info - **Year Published**: 2022 - **BGG Rating**: 8.0 - **BGG Rank**: — - **Players**: 1-5 (Best with: 3) - **Duration**: 40-70 min - **Weight**: 2.24 / 5 - **Designers**: Henry Audubon, Mattox Shuler - **Artists**: Fifty-Nine Parks Print Series - **Publishers**: Keymaster Games, Albi, Albi Polska, Feuerland Spiele, Matagot, Surfin' Meeple China - **Categories**: Animals, Environmental, Expansion for Base-game, Travel - **Mechanics**: Contracts, End Game Bonuses, Worker Placement ## Verdict If you love Parks and crave more wildlife action, this expansion is your next step!Contracts demand strategyFun worker placementWandering Bison bonus surprisesDoes not replace base gameMore components increase complexityRECOMMENDED ## Description Parks: Wildlife is the expansion that brings even more wilderness to the already beloved Parks game. The core goal remains simple: explore trails, collect season cards, and attract visitors to your parks. Now, each player can take on contracts that require you to bring a visitor to a specific location or gather a set of season cards for extra points. The worker placement mechanic stays the same, but the new trail sites and canteens offer more strategic options. The big highlight is the Wandering Bison, a piece that roams the park cards, giving point bonuses to players who visit it. In addition, the expansion introduces New River Gorge, new season cards, adventure gear, and a fresh line of food stalls. Tom Whalen’s artwork adds a vibrant, realistic touch, and the Fifty‑Nine Parks Print Series ensures high production quality. The gameplay becomes even more engaging: contracts force you to plan carefully where to place your workers, while the Bison creates unexpected bonus opportunities. If you love Parks and want more variety, this expansion is a perfect fit. For fans of exploration, collection, and a dash of worker‑placement strategy, Parks: Wildlife delivers hours of fun in 40‑70 minute games for 1‑5 players. ## How to Play Goal of the Game In PARKS: Wildlife, players act as nature enthusiasts on a journey through trails. The goal is to explore new parks, collect wildlife sightings, and manage resources to complete your journeys. Consult the manual for details regarding this section. Setup To begin playing, follow these steps: Canteen and Year Cards: Each player receives two Canteen cards and two Year cards. If you are playing with the Parks: Nightfall expansion, use the new Year cards. Choose one Canteen to keep face up in front of you. Choose one Year to keep face down in secret. The remaining cards should be discarded to the bottom of their respective decks. Trail: For the first Season, locate the Advanced Site of PARK/GEAR. In PARKS: Wildlife, this site will always be used as the Advanced Trail Site from Season 1 onwards. Shuffle all Advanced Trail Sites from the base game and this expansion. Place three of them face down next to the Trail Head. The rest should be kept in the box. These three will be the Advanced Sites for the upcoming Seasons. Tokens and Bison: Each player must start the game with one token. Place the Bison Meeple on the leftmost Park card on the board. Gameplay Flow The game progresses through rounds and Seasons. Consult the manual for details on the complete turn and phase structure. Bison Mechanic: Whenever a player visits the Park where the Bison is located, they may perform an additional Wildlife action. After the visit, the Bison moves to the next Park to the right. If the Bison moves past the last Park on the right, it returns to the leftmost Park. When this occurs, the active player chooses an available GEAR card to be discarded to the bottom of the deck and reveals a new one. Actions and How to Play During your turn, you can perform various actions, including visiting parks and using equipment. Below are details of specific mechanics introduced or altered: New Cards and Requirements Iconic Wildlife Parks: These new parks now have a Wildlife requirement as part of their cost. Instant Actions: Some new parks have Instant Actions to the right of the token requirement. These are activated immediately upon visiting the park and may include: Visit or Reserve a Park, Gain a Canteen, or Gain a Wildlife token. GEAR: When purchasing GEAR, do not forget to activate any associated Instant Actions. Canteen and Equipment Mechanics GAINS A CANTEEN: When a player gains a Canteen, they must draw two Canteen cards, keeping one and discarding the other to the bottom of the deck. Resource Usage: Some actions allow the use of a specific resource token. If you possess the Camera card, you can use any resource as usual. Bison Actions When visiting the Bison's Park, the player may perform the Wildlife action before or after visiting the park (but the park visit is mandatory). If performed before, the effect can be used to help visit the park. Important note: The Bison's Park can never be reserved. End of Game and Scoring Consult the manual for details on the exact end-game trigger and detailed point counting. Tips for Winning Based on the expansion rules, consider the following strategies: Canteen Management: Remember that when gaining a Canteen, you have the chance to choose between two cards, allowing for more strategic resource selection. Make use of the Bison: The Bison is an opportunity for an extra Wildlife action. Plan your visits to maximize the use of the Bison before it moves to the next park. Pay attention to Instant Actions: When acquiring new GEAR or visiting certain Parks, watch for Instant Actions, as they can significantly accelerate your progress. ## FAQ ### How long does a game last with the expansion? A typical game lasts between 40 and 70 minutes, depending on player experience. ### Does the expansion work with the base game? Yes, Parks: Wildlife is designed to be played with the base game, adding new components and rules. ### How many players can play? 1 to 5 players, just like the base game. ### What is the complexity level? The expansion keeps moderate complexity, adding contracts and the Wandering Bison without making the mechanics too heavy. ### What new components does the expansion add? Additional season cards, new gear, food stalls, the New River Gorge park, and the Wandering Bison. ### Is the scoring system different? Scoring follows the base game system, but contracts and the Bison bonuses add new ways to earn points. ### Do I need to know Parks to use the expansion? No, but familiarity with the base game helps you fully enjoy the expansion’s additions. ## Price Comparison ### Best International Offers - **BoardGamePrices.com**: $ 24.00 (https://boardgameprices.com/item/go?source=A&storeitemid=4091732&utm_source=boardgamesbot.com) - See all on BoardGamePrices: https://boardgameprices.com/item/show/42268/parks-wildlife?utm_source=boardgamesbot.com