OBJECT OF PARKS: The object of Parks is to have the most points from the Parks, Photos, and Personal Bonus at the end of the Year.
NUMBER OF PLAYERS: 1 to 5 players
MATERIALS: One Tri-fold Board, Two Token Trays, Forty-eight Park Cards, Ten Season Cards, Twelve Year Cards, Thirty-six Gear Cards, Fifteen Canteen Cards, Nine Solo Cards, Ten Trail Sites, One Trailhead and One Trail End, Ten Hikers, Five Campfires, One Camera, One First Hiker Marker, Sixteen Forest Tokens, Sixteen Mountain Tokens, Thirty Sunshine Tokens, Thirty Water Tokens, Twelve Wildlife Tokens, and Twenty-eight Photos
TYPE OF GAME: Strategic Board Game
AUDIENCE: 10+
OVERVIEW OF PARKS
Taking great care of your two Hikers is the game of Parks. These hikers travel various trails throughout the year, getting increasingly longer as the year progresses. Each time a hiker finishes a trail, they are able to visit parks, take pictures, and accrue points.
This game is not only fun, but also informational. Parks will allow players to experience the national parks through the art of those that have done so.
The player with the most points by the time the game ends wins. There are expansion packs available to add a wide variety to the gameplay.
SETUP
Board and Resources
Ensure the board is placed where it is easily accessible to all players. Both token trays are placed to the side of the board, positioned so that all players are able to reach. Shuffle all of the Park cards, placing them facing down, forming the Park deck, then placing it in its designated area on the board. Three Park cards are to be placed in the Parks Area.
Shuffle all gear cards and place them facing down to create the Gear deck. Three of these cards are placed on the bottom of the board in their designated area. The Gear deck is then placed on the labeled area on the board .
The Canteen cards are then shuffled, and one is dealt to each player. The remaining cards are then placed on the upper left-hand corner of the board. The card dealt to each player will be their starting Canteen
The Year cards are shuffled, and two are dealt to each player. Everyone will choose one to be the Personal Bonus for the year and the other will be discarded. This card is to remain face down until the end of the game.
Finally, the Season cards are shuffled and placed on the Season space of the board. Reveal the top card to show the first Season of the game.
Trail Setup
The first Season’s trail is started by putting the trailhead tile on the below the board on the left. Gather the five Basic Site tiles, which are denoted with a darkened trailhead, and place them in the bottom right. Next, the Advanced Site tiles are shuffled, and one tile is added to the Basic Sites. This will form the Trail deck.
The rest of the Advanced Site tiles may be placed face down on the Trailhead’s left side. After shuffling the Trail deck, flip one card over at a time, placing them on the Trailhead’s right side. Each new Site is placed on the right-hand side of the Site last placed. Place the Trail End on the right side of the last Site placed. The trail for the Season is now created!
Ensure each player has two Hikers that are the same color and that they are placed on the Trailhead. Each player should also have a campfire of the same color, and it should be placed in front of them. The First Hiker Marker is given to the player who went on a hike recently, and the Camera token to the player on the right side of the first player.
Gameplay is ready to begin!
GAMEPLAY
The four Seasons will make up the four rounds of gameplay. A Season comes to an end when all Hikers make it to the Trail End. Look at the Season’s weather pattern, found on the bottom right of the card. Place the weather tokens as needed on the board.
The player who holds the First Hiker Marker will begin the Season. During their turn, a player will choose a Hiker of their pair and moves them to a Site of their choosing found down the Trail. This Site can be anywhere as long as it is to the right of the Hiker’s current location.
When a Hiker reaches the new Site, the Site’s actions must be completed. After the action is completed, their turn comes to an end. Gameplay continues around the table clockwise until the Season comes to an end. Another site cannot be used if it is occupied by another Hiker unless you use your Campfire.
When a Hiker lands on the Site first they may gather the token from the site’s weather pattern. Players may only have a maximum of twelve tokens. If a player has more, they must discard the additional tokens.
Once both Hikers make it to the Trail End, the player will no longer take any turns during that season. When only one Hiker is left on the trail, they must move to the Trail End and complete an action there. This signifies the end of the Season.
The player with the Camera token may turn in one token and take a picture. All canteens are to be emptied by returning the water to the supply. All Hikers are to return to the Trailhead.
To begin a new Season, pick up all the trail sites except for the Trailhead and Trail End, add an additional Advanced Site into the deck. Create the new trail for the new Season, which is now one site longer than the previous season.
Reveal the new Season from the top of the Season deck. Apply the weather pattern as done before. The player with the First Hiker Token begins the next Season. After four seasons, the game comes to an end and the winner is determined.
Details on Actions
Canteens:
When a Canteen card is drawn, place it facing up on the water side in front of you. The Canteen can only be filled with water when it is gained on a turn. To fill it, place a water gained onto the Canteen rather than in your supply.
Photos and the Camera:
When this trail site action is chosen, you may use two tokens and take a photo. Photos are worth one point each. Once you have traded for a photo, take the camera from whichever player has it. With the camera, it only costs one token to take a picture.
Campfires:
In order to visit a Site that another Hiker is already occupying, you must make use of your Campfire. Your campfire is put into effect when you flip it onto its extinguished side. Once extinguished, you may not visit a Site that another Hiker is occuppying, even if it is your other Hiker. Your campfire can relight once one of your Hikers makes it to the Trail End.
The Trail End:
Once a Hiker reaches the Trail End, the player’s campfire is relit, and the Hiker can do one of three things.
They may Reserve a Park. To do so, choose one of the parks that are available on the board or one may be drawn from the deck. Once you reserve a park, put the Park card in front of you horizontally, facing up, but keep it stacked separate from your other Parks.
They may Buy Gear when they reach the Trail End. Gear gives some advantages at Trail Sites or makes it simpler to visit certain Parks. Put your Hiker on the Gear area and select one of the available gear cards. You must turn in the correct amount of Sunshine to collect. Face the gear you buy in front of you, face up, and use them throughout the game.
Hikers may visit a Park by choosing one from the board, or they may choose one they have reserved. The corresponding tokens must be submitted in order to visit Parks. When a Park has been visited, a new card is drawn and fills the empty space.
END OF GAME
When the fourth season comes to an end, the game does as well. Once players reveal their Year cards, they tally their points from their Parks, Pictures, and Personal Bonus for the Year. The player with the highest number of points is the winner of Parks!
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