Zoo King
Zoo King Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Objective
Build your very own award-winning zoo! Collect the best combinations and sets of animal, staff, and facility cards to try and win as many award cards as possible. Refer to the back cover of the instructions for the Awards List.
The winner (a.k.a. the Zoo King or Queen!) is the first player to win:
- 4 Awards in a Two-Player Game
- 3 Awards in a Three or Four-Player Game
Contents
- (47) Animal Cards
- (13) Staff Cards
- (11) Facility Cards
- (27) Event Cards
- (10) Award Cards
- (28) Money Cards
- (4) Reference Cards
Game Setup - Event Deck
- Shuffle the event cards well. Remove three of the event cards and place them back in the box without looking at the card fronts.
- Shuffle the 10 award cards.
- Combine the remaining 24 event and 10 award cards into a single deck by arranging them face-down (without looking at the card fronts) in the order corresponding with your player count, as shown in the diagram below.
The easiest way to arrange the event deck is to form piles for each set of events & awards, then stack the piles on top of each other. Once it is in the proper order, place the event deck on the table within reach of all players. The event deck is organized so that each player has an equal number of turns before each award phase.
Players draw one event card at the start of each of their turns. Be mindful of how many turns remain and what events have not been played yet.
Event deck order (top of the deck to bottom of the deck)
Each row lists the number of cards in each successive pile, alternating events and awards, starting with events at the top of the deck.
- 4 players: 16 events, 3 awards, 4 events, 3 awards, 4 events, 4 awards
- 3 players: 18 events, 3 awards, 3 events, 3 awards, 3 events, 4 awards
- 2 players: 20 events, 3 awards, 4 events, 7 awards
For a longer 2-player game, set up the deck as if it were a 4-player game.
Game Setup - Starter Card
- Deal each player 1000 (currency symbol z), dealt as one 500, two 200s, and one 100. Stack the rest of the money in their own denomination piles to form the bank.
- Lay all "perpetual" staff and facility cards on the table. Perpetual cards are the staff & facility cards with the infinity icon in the top right.
- Each player will choose one "perpetual" card as a starter card to open their zoo with. The player who most recently petted an animal chooses first.
- Choose your starter card and pay its list price to the bank (pay the grey price in a game with 4 players or 5-player expansion pack). Place it in front of you. Proceed clockwise.
The player who chooses their starter card last becomes the "first player" for the rest of the game (turn order now proceeds counterclockwise).
Your zoo is one step closer to opening its gates, but first, let's set up the marketplace.
Game Setup - Marketplace
- Shuffle all remaining staff & facility cards together in a deck and place it face down on the table.
- Draw 5 cards from the deck and lay them on the table face-up, in a horizontal line next to the deck, to form the "staff & facility market". Refer to the sample setup diagram.
- Shuffle the animal cards into their own deck. Place it face down on the table above the staff & facility deck.
- Draw 5 cards from the animal deck and lay them on the table face-up, in a horizontal line next to the deck. This forms the "animal market".
Leave space on the other side of both decks for discard piles.
Sample Setup
The sample setup diagram shows the table layout: the event deck with its event discard pile; the animal deck with its animal discard pile and the animal market; and the staff & facility deck with its staff & facility discard pile and the staff & facility market.
How to Play
The player that chose their starter card last goes first, then continue counterclockwise.
On your turn, you will:
-
Draw an event card from the top of the event deck:
- Follow the event's directions immediately.
- Events apply only to you unless it says "all players".
- Once the event is completed, put it in the event discard pile.
Sometimes events have no effect due to no players meeting the criteria.
-
Perform up to two actions in any order, including two of the same action. Your action options are:
- Buy an animal, staff, or facility from the marketplace.
- Draw the top card from either market's deck, then purchase or discard it. This can be useful if you cannot afford or do not want any cards in the market.
- Buy the top card from either market's discard pile at 100 off its list price (staff & facility discount benefits still apply/stack).
- Exchange any animal from your zoo for an animal on the market, or on top of the discard pile, of equal or lesser list price or star rating. Place the animal you are giving up in the discard pile.
Other Rules
Keep all acquired cards on the table in front of you as part of your zoo. Arrange your cards how you'd like but they must be visible to all players (except for money cards).
After your turn, replenish both markets (as necessary) from their respective decks to replace the purchased cards.
You cannot have two of the same staff or facility cards in your zoo (if you currently have a Tour Guide, you cannot get another).
If there is no cost on the card, then it is free. Acquiring it still counts as one of your two turn actions.
Discounts can be stacked! For example, if you have a Trainer and Conservation Center, then a Tiger in the discard pile would cost you 200.
The Groundskeeper may be used to play an Animal Rescue, but this counts as your two turn actions.
Discard Rules - You cannot purchase a card you discarded on that same turn (due to an event or turn action). You must wait until your next turn if you want to buy it (if it's still available)! If multiple players must discard at the same time, then do so in turn order starting with the current player.
Making Pairs - Earn 100 from the bank any time you make a pair (not trio) of the same animal, no matter how you acquired it. Finish performing an event before awarding money for a pair. If purchasing, you must have enough money to make the purchase prior to receiving the reward for the pair.
Animals with pairs include the Alligator, Grizzly Bear, Zebra, Lion, Tiger, and Black Panther with Leopard.
Money Rules - You do not use animals as money. If one denomination is running low in the bank, consider exchanging your cash to even it out. For example, for Admission events (Receive 100), you may draw a 200 card from the bank and return a 100. In the very unlikely event that there is not enough money in the bank, pay in turn order beginning with the player whose turn it is.
Winning the Game
After each player has had an equal number of turns (according to player count & events, see the event deck diagram), the first set of award cards will appear in the event deck. See back cover for award list.
The first player will draw the award and the winner of that award is determined.
Awards continue to be drawn and given out with no other player actions taking place.
Once an award is won, it cannot be lost. After the first set of awards has been awarded, the first player continues play as normal, drawing an event card and performing two actions. When/if you reach the next phase of awards in the event deck, determine the winner for each of those award cards prior to continuing.
If there is still a tie for an award after calculating the tiebreaker stated on the card, then place the award at the bottom of the event deck. If it remains a tie a second time, then it is a shared award.
The first player to win 3 awards (or 4 in two-player) is the winner!
Key Concepts
Habitats - Each animal card pertains to a habitat. These are denoted by the card's bottom label and its border color.
There are six habitats in the base game:
- Savanna (15)
- Jungle (12)
- Mountain (9)
- Water (9)
- Desert (3)
- Polar (2)
Some animals belong to two habitats and count for both for certain events, staff, facility, and award cards.
Animal Types - Some cards have type icons in the upper right corner. Staff, facilities, and events may reward you for certain types. Some awards are for collecting the most of certain types.
- Dangerous (21)
- Endangered (17)
- Show (16)
- Felines (9)
- Birds (8)
- Reptiles (5)
Note: The camera icon is only used when playing with the "Zoovenirs" expansion pack.
Animal Cards
Card parts: 1. List price; 2. Type; 3. Star value (prestige); 4. Habitat.
Collecting the right sets of animals will position you to meet the various award criteria at the end of the game (see the Awards List on the back cover). Choose wisely as you make and adjust your plans. Some animals may help you make money while others will help you win an award. Pay attention to what your opponents are collecting too!
There are a few cards that don't have a list price. They are free but acquiring them still counts as one of your two turn actions.
Use the reference cards to remember the award criteria. Don't fall behind by only buying your favorite animals!
Staff & Facility Cards
Card parts: 1. List price (and 4 player price); 2. Benefit frequency (1x or Perpetual); 3. Star value (prestige); 4. Benefit.
Staff & Facility cards provide discounts, income, and protection from events. If you see a price in grey, that is how much it costs in a 4-player game. Here are the staff & facility icons:
- Perpetual Benefit - The card's benefit lasts the entire game. A single perpetual card is chosen by players to start the game (see Game Setup - Starter Card).
- One-time Benefit - The card's benefit occurs only at the time of purchase (you still keep the card in your zoo).
Camera icon only used with Zoovenirs expansion.
Be aware of how many turns are left when determining a card's benefit to you.
Appendix - Staff Cards
- Curator (2) - Lets you take one of the top two cards from the animal deck as part of this single action.
- Groundskeeper (1) - Immediately replay any discarded event (doesn't count as 2nd turn action except in the case of Animal Rescue). Events for all players still affect all players.
- Investor (1) - Discard a staff for 500.
- Security (1) - Protects you from Animal Escape event.
- Tour Guide (2) - Immediately earn 100 for each different habitat you have.
- Trainer (2) - Get a 100 discount on Show animals.
- Veterinarian (1) - Pay no fees for Animal Checkups event. Opponents pay you 100 for Animal Checkups.
- Volunteer (1) - After an Exhibit Exchange takes place, you may discard this Volunteer to make your opponent redo their choice from you. Include the animal they chose first in their 2nd attempt.
- Zookeeper (2) - Protects you from Animal Rescue event.
Appendix - Facility Cards
- Animal Shelter (2) - Place this card under/next to an animal to protect all your animals of that same habitat group. These animals cannot be included in an Exhibit Exchange or lost due to Animal Rescue or Escape events.
- Aviary (1) - You may acquire Birds for free (still counts as a turn action).
- Carousel (1) - Draw 100 from the bank on each of your future turns (prior to drawing an event card).
- Conservation Center (1) - Get a 100 discount on Endangered animals.
- Gift Shop (2) - Draw 200 or take one animal from the market with a list price of 100 for free as part of this single action.
- Ice Cream Stand (2) - Draw an extra 100 from the bank on Admission cards drawn by any player.
- Safari Grille (2) - Draw an extra 100 from the bank on Admission cards drawn by you.
Appendix - Event Cards
- Ad Campaign (1) - Allows you to buy more stars (prestige) for your zoo.
- Admission (7) - All players earn 100.
- Animal Checkups (1) - Pay the Vet 100. If you can't pay, you must discard an animal, so it's always good to have 100 on hand!
- Animal Escape (1) - Discard an animal. Security and Animal Shelter protect against this event.
- Animal Rescue (2) - In place of your two turn actions, take a random animal from an opponent of your choice. Opponent puts all non-protected animals in their hand and you pick one at random.
- Animal Show (2) - Earn 100 for each Show animal you have.
- Bad Publicity (2) - Lowers an opposing zoo's prestige by 2 stars. This only affects the "Most Prestigious Zoo" award. Stars are not subtracted during any tiebreakers.
- Corporate Sponsor (1) - Earn money for facilities.
- Donation Drive (2) - Draw 100 and choose an opponent to also draw 100 (from the bank).
- Exhibit Exchange (3) - Choose an opponent to trade animals with. Put all non-protected animals in your hands and pick one at random from each other.
- Government Stimulus (1) - Pays 100 for each staff card.
- Made for TV (1) - Pays 100 for each animal in your largest habitat group (If you have 5 Savanna cards you earn 500).
Awards List
- Most Prestigious Zoo: Highest star total of all cards (animal, staff, facility, etc.). Tiebreaker: Most 5-Star animal cards.
- Most Profitable Zoo: Most money (player with the most cash on hand). Tiebreaker: None; return to the bottom of the event deck.
- Most Animals: Most total animal cards. Tiebreaker: Highest star total of all animal cards.
- Most Diverse: Most different number of habitats. Tiebreaker: The zoo with the most reptile cards.
- Best-Themed: Most cards of a single habitat. Tiebreaker: Highest star total of animals of a single habitat.
- Top Conservationist: Most Endangered cards. Tiebreaker: Highest star total for Endangered cards.
- Big Cat King: Most Feline cards. Tiebreaker: Highest star total for Feline cards.
- High Flyer: Most Bird cards. Tiebreaker: Highest star total for Bird cards.
- Most Dangerous: Most Dangerous cards. Tiebreaker: Highest star total for Dangerous cards.
- Staff of the Year: Most staff cards. Tiebreaker: Highest star total of all staff cards.