Formaggio
Formaggio Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Overview
Formaggio is a simultaneous worker-placement game where you make cheese and gather resources by placing Workers onto the board quadrant that is facing you. Once all players have finished their actions, the board rotates, aging the cheese, and presenting everyone with a new quadrant. At game-end, score Prestige Points for your cheese and for managing your creamery's resources. The player with the most Prestige Points wins.
Combining Formaggio & Fromage
Formaggio is a standalone expansion for the base game, Fromage. This means Formaggio can be played by itself as a standalone game, or it can be combined with Fromage.
When combining Fromage and Formaggio, you may use any combination of 4 Venues.
- If you play with both Vigneto and Fromagerie, it may be easier to acquire Resources.
- If you play with neither Vigneto nor Fromagerie, Resources may be a bit more scarce.
- Every combination offers a fun, unique experience. So choose a setup that suits your group.
Use any combination of Player Boards and Structure Tiles from Fromage and Formaggio. If a Player Board or Structure Tile's ability refers to an unused Venue, take a different one.
Shuffle the Fromage and Formaggio Order Cards together. If playing with 3 or 4 Venues from Fromage, remove the 4 cards with Platinum icons from play.
Seasons
The Resource Tile in Formaggio features the 4 seasons (Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter). Some Structure abilities refer to a specific season. The seasons allow you to play with any combination of Venues from Formaggio and Fromage while ensuring that the Structures from Formaggio always refer to Venues in play.
In this example, abilities with an Autumn icon, such as the Farmers' Market, refer to the Vigneto.
Assembling the Lazy Susan
Limited Edition only
- Place the Axle Base in the center of the play area.
- Place the Neoprene Mat on the Axle Base so that the Axle Base pokes through the hole in the mat. Orient the corners of the mat to point at the players.
- Assemble the Board on the Neoprene Mat. See setup steps A & B on page 5 for details.
- Fit the Twist-Lock Axle into the Axle Base. Press down and twist clockwise to secure the Board in place.
Upgrade Your Game
To upgrade your copy of Fromage or Formaggio to the Limited Edition, visit R2iGames.com.
Setup
A. Each Insert shows a player count and a numeral (I/II). Find the 4 Inserts that match your player count. Use side I for your first game. Experienced players may use any combination of I and II sides, or the additional 4-player setup printed on the Boards. Slot the Inserts into the matching Board quadrants. Return unused Inserts to the box.
B. Fit the 4 Board quadrants together in any configuration. Place the Resource Tile in the center of the Board in a random orientation. Orient the Board so 1 quadrant faces each player. For 2-player games, sit facing opposite quadrants. For 4-player games, sit in a square formation.
C. Randomly place Wine Tiles on the tables of matching color in the Vigneto Board quadrant. In 1-3 player games, ignore spaces with the no-entry symbol and return unused Wine Tiles to the box.
D. Place the Gondolas in the Venezia Board quadrant's tray. Put Gondolas on the Gondola spaces in the canals.
E. Shuffle the Order Cards. Place roughly half the cards and Resource Tokens (Structures, Livestock, Fruit) in each Resource Tray. Position them on opposite ends of the table so everyone can reach a tray.
F. Each player takes the 15 wood Cheese Tokens and 3 Workers of their chosen player color. Take a Soft, Hard, and Blu Worker Base and attach your Workers to them.
G. Each player takes a random Player Board. To determine your starting Resources, look at the Resource Tile. Take 2 Resources matching the Resource in the quadrant to your left, and 1 Resource matching the quadrant opposite you.
- Structures go in the space to the left of your Structure abilities.
- Livestock go in the pasture.
- Fruit goes in your basket.
- Orders go face-up to the left of your Player Board.
Advanced Mode
H. Draft Structure Tiles. Each player takes 4 random tiles. Set 1 tile aside to keep and pass the rest to the left; repeat until you have chosen 4 tiles. Then, place any number of your chosen tiles over the ones printed on your Player Board. Return unwanted tiles to the box.
Turn Structure
At the start of each turn, all players Retrieve Workers. Then, all players simultaneously take actions in the quadrant that is currently facing them. Using your available Workers, you may perform ONE Gather Resources action, and ONE Make Cheese action in any order.
When everyone is ready, rotate the board 90 degrees clockwise and begin the next turn.
- Gather Resources (1x per turn)
- Make Cheese (1x per turn)
Rotate the board 90 degrees clockwise after each turn. Now you can Make Cheese and Gather Resources in a new quadrant!
In the rare case that 2 or more players refuse to play until they see each other's action first, those players take turns clockwise from the player in Spring. (Developer Note: Over hundreds of playtests, we never had to resort to this. This rule is included only because it is theoretically possible.)
Retrieve Workers
At the start of each turn, check if any of your Workers are facing you. Take those Workers and place them in front of you. These Workers are now available to Make Cheese or Gather Resources.
Clarifications:
- At the start of the game, you haven't placed any Workers yet, so all your Workers are available and there are no Workers to retrieve.
- Do not retrieve Cheese Tokens. These will be scored at game-end.
When the Board rotates, your Workers rotate with it. This automatically counts down the turns until your Worker is ready to be used again.
The more valuable cheeses take longer to age, and gathering more Resources takes more time. So, when you choose a more powerful action, you have to wait longer to retrieve your Worker.
Make Cheese
A creamery is only as good as the cheese it makes! You will score most of your Prestige Points by Making Cheese.
To Make Cheese, place a Cheese Token on an empty cheese space in your current quadrant. Then place your Worker of matching Cheese Type on top.
To make this Blu Cheese, place a Cheese Token on the space. Then place your Blu Cheese Worker on top.
Each cheese space has a Cheese Type (Soft, Hard, or Blu). A space's Cheese Type determines which Worker you must use to make that cheese.
Cheese Types: Soft, Hard, Blu.
Each cheese space also has an Age (Bronze, Silver, Gold, or Platinum). You will retrieve your worker after 1 turn when making Bronze cheese, 2 turns for Silver, 3 turns for Gold, and 4 turns for Platinum. Longer aged cheeses are more valuable, however your Worker remains unavailable until the aging process is complete. The benefits of the Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum spaces vary by Venue. (We'll learn about the 4 Venues on pages 10-11.)
Cheese Ages: Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum, each shown for the Banca, Regioni, Venezia, and Vigneto Venues.
Some cheese spaces have a Fruit or Preserves icon. You must use a Fruit Token to make these cheeses. (We'll learn about Fruit on page 12.)
You can only Make Cheese ONCE per turn.
In 1-3 player games, some cheese spaces have a no-entry symbol. You cannot make cheese here.
Gather Resources
Send Workers to acquire Resources that can be used to expand your creamery and make it more efficient.
To Gather Resources, place one of your available Workers on an empty space in the quadrant of the Resource Tile that's facing you. Each quadrant provides a type of Resource (Structures, Livestock, Fruit, or Orders) with 3 spaces (labeled 1, 2, and 3).
When you place a Worker on one of these spaces, immediately take the corresponding number of Resources from the Resource Tray. (We'll learn about each Resource on pages 12-13.) Remember, the more Resources you gather, the longer it will take for your Worker to be ready again.
You can only Gather Resources ONCE per turn.
This turn, the Structure Resource action is facing you. You place your Worker on the 2 space and immediately take 2 Structure Tokens. You will have to wait 2 turns for this Worker to be available again.
Clarifications:
- Do not place Cheese Tokens on Resource spaces.
- The Worker type (Soft, Hard, or Blu) does not matter when Gathering Resources.
- You may use Resources on the same turn you acquired them.
- The Fruit, Livestock, and Structures come in a variety of shapes, but are functionally the same.
- Resources are unlimited. If a Resource Tray runs out, take Resources from the other tray or swap some of your used Resources with a x3/x5 token.
Strategy Tip
When placing a Worker, plan where you want your Worker to be available next. Your Worker will become available when the quadrant that it points at has rotated to you. (See page 15 for details.)
Venues
Banca
Store cheese in the vault at the cheese bank. (Yes, there is a real bank in Italy that accepts cheese as collateral for loans!)
Score points by completing sets of cheese in rows and columns. A Platinum cheese counts as a cheese in each of the 3 columns beneath it. If you have 2 or more cheeses in the Bronze / Silver / Gold / Platinum row, score 2 / 5 / 9 / 10 points respectively. Columns with 2 / 3 / 4 cheeses score 4 / 10 / 18 points respectively.
Tip: Try make a square of cheese so that each cheese is scoring for a row and column.
You (orange player) have a row of 2 Bronze cheeses worth 2 points. Your Platinum cheese counts as a cheese in the 3 columns beneath it, so you have a column of 2 cheese worth 4 points, and a column of 3 cheese worth 10 points. You score 2 + 4 + 10 = 16 Prestige Points.
Venezia
Sell cheese to restaurants and attract tourists arriving by gondolas in the Venetian canals.
Score points for the total number of Gondolas adjacent to your cheese tokens. When making cheese, place a Gondola in any available space. At game-end, count each Gondola adjacent to a restaurant serving your cheese. Count a Gondola twice if it's adjacent to 2 of your Cheese Tokens. Count it 3 times if it's adjacent to 3 of your Cheese Tokens. A Gondola may be scored by multiple players. Then consult the scoring rubric at the top of the board.
You (orange player) have 2 Gondolas that each touch 2 of your Cheese Tokens, plus 3 Gondolas that touch 1 of your Cheese Tokens. You count a total of 7 Gondolas worth 7 Prestige Points.
Vigneto
Pair your cheese with the local vineyard's fine Italian wines.
Score points by matching Wine Tiles. When making cheese, take the Wine Tile above the cheese space and place it beside your Player Board. Add each subsequent tile you take to the left or the right of your collected tiles—once placed, you may not rearrange your tiles. Try to match the side icons to complete a Red Wine, White Wine, or Wild Resource. If you complete a Wild Resource, immediately gain a Resource of your choice. If the tile depicts a Resource, immediately gain that Resource. You may gain and place a Wine Tile even if it creates a mismatched icon. At game-end, count the number of complete Wine Bottles and consult the scoring rubric.
You (orange player) make a cheese and take the corresponding Wine Tile. You decide to add it to the left of your tiles to complete the Wild Resource icon. You choose to gain a Fruit token. You have 4 complete Wine Bottles worth 7 Prestige Points.
Regioni
Deliver cheese to regions across the country to expand your customer base.
Score points by multiplying your regions times your flags. The map is divided into 6 regions. At game-end, count the number of regions in which you have cheese, and multiply that number by the total number of flags on cities with your cheese.
Tip: Some cities are strictly better than other cities. Try to claim cities with more flags.
You (orange player) have cheese in 3 regions and 4 flags. You score 3 x 4 = 12 Prestige Points.
Resources
Fruit
Use Fruit to make Jam and Fruited Cheeses to add a twist to traditional cheese flavors. Fruit gives you access to some cheese spaces that are otherwise blocked.
When gaining Fruit Tokens, place them in your Player Board's basket. To make cheese in a space with a Fruited Cheese or Jam icon, you must use Fruit. Move the Fruit Token from your basket to the corresponding spent area. At game-end, score Fruit by multiplying the number of Fruit you used for Fruited Cheese by the number of Fruit you used for Jam.
You just made a Fruited Cheese. You must move a Fruit Token from your basket to the Fruited Cheese space.
You have 1 Fruited Cheese and 3 Jams. You score 1 x 3 = 3 Prestige Points.
Livestock
Livestock provide milk that helps you make more cheese. When milking Livestock, you get to place a Cheese Token without using a Worker. This enables you to make multiple cheeses in a turn and possibly end the game earlier.
When gaining Livestock Tokens, place them in your Player Board's pasture. At any time, use a Milking Parlour by moving the required number of Livestock from the pasture to the chosen Milking Parlour. Then immediately place that Milking Parlour's Bonus Cheese: Place a Cheese Token on a space in your current Venue matching the Bonus Cheese Type and Age—do not put a Worker on it. You can use each Milking Parlour once.
Clarifications:
- You can do a Make Cheese action and place a Bonus Cheese in the same turn.
- You can place multiple Bonus Cheeses in the same turn.
- If placing a Bonus Cheese on a space with a Fruited Cheese or Jam icon, you must use Fruit.
You decide to milk your 2 Livestock, so you move them to a Milking Parlour. This Milking Parlour's Bonus Cheese is a Bronze Hard Cheese. You can now place a Cheese Token on a Bronze Hard Cheese Space without using a Worker.
Orders
Fulfill Orders to build a loyal customer base. Optimize your Order and Venue scoring by carefully planning which cheese spaces to use for completing Order Cards.
When drawing Order Cards, place them face-up to the left of your Player Board. Orders have 2 requirements: a Cheese Type and Age. When you place a Cheese Token that matches the requirements, you may immediately complete the Order by placing it to the right of your Player Board. At game-end, consult the scoring rubric.
Clarifications:
- You can only complete 1 Order per Cheese Token, even if it would satisfy multiple Orders' requirements.
- You cannot retroactively complete Orders; if you draw an Order and previously made a cheese that matches its requirements, the Order is not completed.
- You can complete Orders using Bonus Cheese from milking Livestock.
Requirements: Cheese Type and Cheese Age.
You completed 4 Orders. You score 8 Prestige Points.
Structures
Build Structures to upgrade your creamery and increase its efficiency. Structures give unique abilities and scoring bonuses.
When gaining Structure Tokens, place them on the space to the left of your Structure abilities. At any time, unlock a Structure ability by moving Structure Tokens from this space to fill the set of empty scaffolding spaces. Then you can start using its ability. Abilities can be triggered any number of times unless otherwise specified. Evaluate scoring abilities at game-end.
Clarifications:
- Clarifications for Player Board Structure abilities are on the back of the rulebook.
- Clarifications for Structure Tile abilities are on the back of each tile.
You decide to build 2 of your Structure Tokens on the Farm to unlock its ability.
Game-End
When a player places their final Cheese Token, they must declare that game-end is triggered. When all players finish the current turn, the game ends.
Remove Workers from the Board. Total the scores for each Venue and Resource. Score 1 Prestige Point for every 2 unused Resources. The player with the most Prestige Points wins. If tied, the player that made more cheese wins. If still tied, victory is shared.
Clarification:
All Cheese Tokens on the Board count, regardless if they have fully aged or not. So, on the final turn, make the best available cheese and gather as many Resources as possible.
Example scorepad (Orange player):
| Name | Orange |
|---|---|
| Spring | 16 |
| Summer | 4 |
| Autumn | 10 |
| Winter | 14 |
| Structures | 8 |
| Fruit | 6 |
| Orders | 14 |
| Prestige Point per 2 unused Resources | 1 |
| Total | 73 |
Strategy Tips
Plan Ahead!
When placing a Worker, plan where you want the Worker to be available next. The Worker will become available when the quadrant that it points at has rotated to you.
Use this method of planning to ensure that you have the desired number of Workers available on future turns.
- If your 3 Workers point in the same direction, you will retrieve all 3 on the same turn. This may be undesirable as you can usually only place 2 of them (unless you have certain Structure abilities), so you may have 1 Worker that can't take an action.
- If you want to take actions in a particular quadrant, make sure to point your Worker(s) toward it. If none of your Workers point toward it, you may have no Workers available that turn.
You place your Blu Cheese Worker to gather 2 Structures. The Worker token is pointed at the Banca, so it will become available when the Banca is facing you. This fits your strategy since you plan to make a Blu Cheese to complete your row and column sets in the Banca.
Focus on a Few Things
Each Venue and Resource gives an increasing number of points the more you interact with it. So, focus your strategy on a couple Venues and a couple Resources.
Complete Orders Strategically
You should not always complete an Order Card just because you can. If the cheese does not fit your strategy for the Venue, you could end up scoring poorly in that Venue.
You have an Order requiring a Blu Bronze cheese. You could complete it by making the highlighted cheese. However, this does not fit your Regioni strategy since you already have a Cheese Token in that region. Perhaps you should complete this Order in another Venue.
Solo Mode
As factories rise, your small creamery must now compete against mass production. Can you preserve tradition, and avoid disappearing in the shadow of the corporate cheese manufacturers to secure your place in cheese-making history?
In this mode, you play against the Corporation. Follow all the standard rules of play with the following exceptions:
Setup
A. Set your Difficulty Level by selecting a Corporation Board and Board quadrants. Playing with Venezia and Villes (from Fromage) each raise the Difficulty Level by 1 star. Place the Corporation Board beside your Player Board.
B. Place the Corporation's Cheese Tokens on the Corporation Board's cheese spaces. On the higher difficulty boards, you will need to combine 2 different player colors. There will be no functional difference between the Corporation's different color Cheese Tokens.
The Corporation does not use Workers, nor start with any Resources.
Form a single deck of all the Order cards.
For experienced players, do the following instead of the Structure Tile draft:
- Draw 4 tiles, keep 1, and discard the rest.
- Then, draw 3, keep 1, and discard the rest.
- Then, draw 2, keep 1, and discard the other.
- Finally, draw 1.
Corporation Board: Difficulty Level (+1 star if playing with Venezia, from Fromage; +1 star if playing with Villes, from Fromage), a space for scored Order Cards, and the Corporation Rule. The Corporation scores Prestige Points for its cheeses in Venezia and Villes as a player normally would. It does not score other Venues. At the start of each turn, the Corporation draws an Order Card and makes the shown cheese in your Venue. If it can't, it scores the Order Card.
Gameplay
Each turn, the Corporation acts first and draws an Order Card. Take the Corporation's leftmost Cheese Token and place it on an empty cheese space in your current Venue that matches the card's requirements. If there are multiple cheese spaces that meet the card's requirement, choose one. The Corporation does not need Fruit to place on a Fruited Cheese or Jam space. Then discard the Order Card. If you run out of Order Cards, shuffle the discard pile.
If there are no available cheese spaces that meet the Order Card's requirement, place the card on the Corporation Board's card space to be scored at game-end.
When the Corporation makes cheese in Venezia, choose a space to place the Gondola that is adjacent to the Corporation's newest cheese, and not adjacent to your cheeses. If there are no eligible spots, do not place a Gondola.
At the start of the turn, the Corporation draws an Order Card. The card shows a Gold Hard cheese. So, you place a Corporation Cheese Token on a Gold Hard space.
The Corporation (purple) makes a cheese here. It must place its Gondola in the space that is adjacent to its cheese, but not your cheese (orange).
Game End
The Corporation triggers game-end if it has no Cheese Tokens remaining.
The Corporation scores:
- the highest visible number on its cheese track,
- 3 points per Order Card,
- its Fruit (if playing with the Difficulty Level 3 or 4 Corporation Board)
- its Gondolas (if you played with Venezia),
- and its Customer Tokens (if you played with the Villes)
If you win, try defeating the Corporation at the next Level. Each Level introduces an additional Corporation Rule to increase the difficulty.
The Corporation scores: 36 Prestige Points for its cheeses, 15 points for its Order Cards, and 7 points for its Gondolas for a total of 58 Prestige Points.
Tasting Notes
Flavor profiles for some of the Italian cheeses featured in Formaggio
Castelmagno — A semi-hard cheese with a crumbly texture and earthy tang, Castelmagno is aged in caves, imparting a delicate blue veining that pairs beautifully with honey and robust red wines.
Taleggio — A washed-rind cheese with a soft, creamy interior and earthy aroma, Taleggio pairs beautifully with toasted walnuts and fruity white wines.
Blu di Grotta — A cave-aged blue cheese with delicate veins and a buttery finish, it harmonizes with dried fruit and a drizzle of truffle honey.
Burrata — This fresh cheese with a delicate outer shell and creamy, stracciatella-filled center is a decadent addition to ripe tomatoes and a splash of olive oil.
Formaggio di Fossa — Buried underground during aging, this cheese develops a unique nutty and slightly smoky profile, ideal for pairing with balsamic vinegar and crusty bread.
Pecorino Romano — A hard sheep's milk cheese with a sharp, salty punch, Pecorino Romano is a classic grating cheese perfect for pasta dishes and hearty soups.
Gorgonzola Dolce — This sweeter cousin of traditional Gorgonzola melts effortlessly, making it a luxurious addition to risottos, pizzas, and rich sauces.
Fiore Sardo — A traditional Sardinian cheese smoked over open fires, its firm texture and bold, nutty flavor shine alongside grilled vegetables and a hearty red.
Blu di Bufala — Made from buffalo milk, this blue cheese boasts a creamy texture with a sharp yet buttery flavor, complementing fresh figs and sparkling wines.
Robiola — A soft, creamy cheese made from a blend of milks, Robiola has a luscious texture and tangy flavor, perfect for spreading on warm focaccia.
Game Pairings Menu
Curated suggestions for your next game night
Fromage — Scholars of the classics Viticulture and Tzolk'in will note the clear homage in Fromage, while new tasters will be taken by deeply thematic flavors, headlined by robust notes of worker placement and the sharp zest of simultaneous play. Pair with Abondance for a bite that, like Fromage's gameplay, is complex yet undeniably smooth.
Formaggio — Formaggio, a standalone expansion to Fromage, elevates its predecessor's intricate design by introducing four interchangeable board quadrants to unlock an unparalleled depth of strategy and replayability. A love letter to modular gameplay, it invites players to taste new combinations in every session. Pair with Taleggio, a semi-soft Italian cheese with a familiar creamy core, but adds a rind bursting with robust flavors—perfect for those who crave the perfect blend of complexity and versatility.
Don't Go In There — Intense and engaging moments pair with campy thematic elements in Don't Go In There, a blessed (or cursed) marriage of push your luck flavors and clever bidding accents, with a finish that can only be described as haunting. Pair with Castelmagno, a moldy, pungent blue cheese with eerie blue veins and an ancient mystique. Its crumbly texture and intense, earthy flavor evoke the decay of a haunted house.
Globetrotting — Distinctive and elegant in its manifestation, Globetrotting matches its dimensional visuals with a core of fresh route building, evocative of muses such as Metro X or Next Station: London. Pair with Asiago, an Italian cheese with a delightful versatility that mirrors the spirit of Globetrotting. Whether enjoyed fresh and creamy or aged to develop a nutty richness, Asiago offers a satisfying depth of flavor that's perfect for snacking as you map out your next destination.
Still Curious? Learn more about these games at R2iGames.com.
Structure Abilities
Clarifications for the Structure Tiles can be found on the back of each tile.
Refining Room — Place a Worker here to discard an unused Resource and gain a Resource of your choice. Retrieve the Worker at the start of the next turn.
Fairgrounds (In Spring, gain an Order) — When this Season is facing you, gain 1 of the Resource shown.
Dairy Barn (Blu cheese, gain Livestock) — After making cheese of the shown type, gain the shown resource.
Wedding Venue (Soft cheese in Autumn, 2 Prestige Points) — At game-end, gain 2 Prestige Points for each cheese you made in the shown Season.
Component List
- 4 Board Quadrants
- 1 Resource Tile
- 12 Inserts
- 4 Player Boards
- 2 Resource Trays
- 12 Workers
- 60 Cheese Tokens
- 32 Structure Tiles
- 40 Order Cards
- 36 Structure Tokens
- 36 Livestock Tokens
- 36 Fruit Tokens
- 20 Wine Tokens
- 22 Gondolas
- 8 x3/x5 Tokens
- 1 Score Pad
Credits
Formaggio Game Designer: Ben Rosset | Developers/Publishers: Andrew Nerger & Jeffrey Chin Artist: Pavel Zhovba | Graphic Designer: Jeffrey Chin | 3D Modeler: Sarah Pavis Development Assistants: Aaron Stoddard, Dan Germain & Matthew O'Malley
©2026 R2i Games