Engineering Ants (2015)

About this game

Engineering Ants is a cooperative game for 2–4 players. The players take turns rolling a die to move the shared engineering ant token around the board in search of blocked ants. Upon finding a blocked ant, the players work together to build something that will help the blocked ant get around the obstacle. The games includes 12 tubes (4 tall, 8 short), 8 clips, 8 connectors, 8 caps, and an assortments of cardboard pieces giving you wings, propellers, ladders, etc. If the players free all three blocked ants before the anteater token (which moves on certain die rolls and based on the engineering ant landing on certain spots on the board) arrives at the central anthill, then the players win. From the box: A creative cooperative building game for 2–4 players, aged 5+. Beat the Obstacle and Rescue the Ants! Use your creativity to build solutions to help free the ants. But watch out! The Anteater is on his way to the anthill! If you can free all of the ants and get them back to the anthill before the Anteater gets there, you all win as a team! Engineering Ants is a game that inspires kids to invent, design and build.

Does it fit your group?

• Group size. Works with 2 to 4.
• Rules load. At 1.0/5 this is a light game — explain it in a few minutes, good for a table that has not played much.
• Age. The publisher suggests 5 and up. That rates the rules rather than the artwork, so judge the box yourself for younger players.