Serengeti: A Race For Life (2017)

About this game

Serengeti: A Race For Life is a game for two players set in the African savannah. In an attempt to preserve the ecosystem and ensure there is a future for its wildlife, your mission will be to study the animals that inhabit the Serengeti. In addition, you will be rewarded if lions can thrive in the savannah, as long as you can keep scorpions out of your headquarters! The game takes place over a variable number of turns called seasons. During each season, players play cards from their hand in order to track animals, or to use their skills. Players start the game with just a few trails, a card that will allow them to track animals from the supply, adding them to their individual deck to adjust it to suit a particular strategy. Animals provide them with unique ways to deal with the various threats in the game as well as helping them to efficiently manage their resources. Animals do more than just produce game effects to rely on during the game however, and are a main source of points. At the end of the game, victory points will be awarded depending on the players’ deck content as well as majority in the savannah. The competition track may also tilt the outcome in favour of the player who best achieved to stay one or more step ahead of their opponent!

Does it fit your group?

• Group size. Strictly 2 players — no more, no fewer.
• Rules load. At 2.0/5 this is a mid-weight game — expect a proper rules explanation before you start.
• Age. The publisher suggests 10 and up. That rates the rules rather than the artwork, so judge the box yourself for younger players.