So, I sat down with my motley crew (read: friends who can’t agree on pizza toppings) to review Planet of the Apes. This isn’t just another game night—it’s a battle for survival, bananas, and bragging rights. I braced myself for drama, monkey business, and the usual threat of someone flipping the table. In this review, I’ll cover the game’s wild theme, teamwork, replay value, and why the art almost made someone try to peel the cards. Let’s see if this game is the king of the jungle or just a bunch of flinging cardboard.
How It Plays
Setting up
Put the board in the middle of the table. Hand out character cards to each player. Sort the different decks (events, enemies, items) and place them nearby. Give everyone their starting items and tokens. Pick a scenario and read the intro—it’s usually something like, “Monkeys took over and you’re in trouble!”
Gameplay
Players work together to beat tough events and make tough choices. On your turn, use actions to search, move, fight, or help others. Draw event cards and deal with the mess they throw at you. The board keeps changing with new baddies, twists, and bananas (okay, maybe not bananas). If you don’t work as a team, the apes win. Expect loud debates about what to do next.
Winning the game
Your team wins if you finish the scenario goals before time or hope runs out. Usually, this means beating all the enemies or escaping the board alive. If you run out of hope or get overwhelmed by apes—sorry, it’s monkey city for you. Try again and blame Dave (there’s always a Dave).
Want to know more? Read our extensive strategy guide for Planet of the Apes.
Theme and Immersion: Welcome to the Jungle
Right out of the box, Planet of the Apes slaps you with George Taylor-level immersion. You’re not just playing a board game; you actually feel like you stumbled onto a planet run by apes and bad haircuts. The artwork brings the dusty ruins and weird ape cities to life, and the cards have little touches—like grim quotes and secret objectives—that suck you right in. I felt like I had sand in my shoes and was looking over my shoulder for a gorilla with a net at every turn.
The game splits the movie’s plot into distinct chapters, and each chapter throws new dilemmas at you. Sometimes you work together to fight gorilla soldiers, sometimes you wrestle with your own sanity (I’m looking at you, Cornelius). Every decision feels important because the fate of the human race (and my snack bowl) hangs in the balance. The events stack up, changing the board as you go, so every game is a bit different. I once had a game where we barely escaped with any dignity and another where we were wiped out by ape warriors before we could even find Zira.
All the little tokens, story cards and apocalyptic artwork crank the theme up to eleven. I started calling my friends “Bright Eyes” half-way in, and I’m pretty sure my cat now expects to overthrow me. So, if you’re a fan of the movies, or you just love a good apocalyptic yarn, this game gets your imagination running. But how well does this immersive world treat the players? In the next section, I’ll share if the apes play fair—or if they just go bananas with the balance!
Is the Cooperative Gameplay in Planet of the Apes Fair or Just Bonkers?
Let’s talk about the cooperative side of Planet of the Apes. I’ll tell you straight: I have a love-hate thing with co-op games. Sometimes you feel like a team, other times it’s just one know-it-all barking orders while you hand out snacks. In this game, I was relieved that it leans to the team side. You’re all working together as different sides of Colonel Taylor’s mind, trying to survive each scenario. Sounds deep, but mostly it means your best friend can’t just decide to go rogue and mess up the group. (Looking at you, Ben, after that infamous Betrayal at House on the Hill night!)
But is it fair? Hmmm. Most of the time it is – each player holds different cards and skills, so no one totally controls the group. We all had to talk, plan, and sometimes groan when bad luck struck. It never felt like one person could dominate. The only gripe? Sometimes, if you’re not careful, the game’s events can slap your group with hard-to-avoid setbacks. If the deck hates you, you might feel a little helpless, but I promise it’s nothing compared to games where one lucky roll ruins your week. Overall, it’s more about teamwork than tantrums. It rewards solid team strategy and talking stuff through, not just dumb luck or lone wolf heroics.
Before you hand the gorilla the win, there’s another thing we’ve got to talk about: how many different stories and surprises does this game throw at you each time? Stay tuned for a wild ride on replayability and story twists!
Replayability and Story Variety in Planet of the Apes
One thing I always dread is owning a game that gets stale after two sessions. Luckily, Planet of the Apes is not that kind of shelf hog. My group and I got several plays out of this one, and every time, the story felt a bit different. The game hands you a stack of scenario cards that toss unexpected twists your way—spoiler, not always good twists if your friends are as unlucky as mine.
The best part? The story follows the plot of the classic film but leaves space for some player-choice shenanigans. Sometimes, Cornelius accidentally saves the wrong human, or Zira trips and accidentally sets off a trap—true events from our Sunday night disaster. Every player has secret goals, too, which colors how they approach each round. I once tried to be the ‘team player,’ but after three betrayals, I started looking out for number one (sorry, not sorry, Dave).
There’s enough random event, alternate path and cinematic drama packed in that you won’t see the same game twice in a row. The different ape roles actually do play differently too. A tactical friend of mine argued for hours about what we “should have” done, which means the game left an impression (also, he really hates losing to monkeys).
Planet of the Apes brings replayability through branching paths, secret agendas and chaotic event cards. Up next, let’s go bananas over the cardboard, plastic, and art: it’s time to check out Component quality and artwork!
Planet of the Apes: Component Quality and Artwork
When it comes to the look and feel, Planet of the Apes isn’t monkeying around. Right from the start, I was floored by the box art—it’s one of those covers you want to show off on your shelf. My friend Dave tried to sneak it into his backpack after game night. (Nice try, Dave.)
The board is big, thick, and sports a gloomy jungle-vibe that sets the mood faster than you can say, “Take your stinking paws off me!” The cards have a nice, linen finish. They took a few snacks-related mishaps (RIP pizza stain) and survived just fine. Minis are pretty solid too—they’re not museum quality, but they’re not going to end up on a cake any time soon either. They feel just right for a board game at this price point.
The artwork nails classic scenes, and the apes themselves look like the movie versions (not like weird dog-bears, like I’ve seen in other games). Components are color-coded well, and it’s easy to tell which bits do what. The tokens are chunky and clear. Even the player sheets are thick enough that my buddy Sarah didn’t manage to fold hers in half when she got mad at a bad roll. That’s a compliment.
Overall, I have to hand it to the Planet of the Apes team for making a game that feels as good as it plays. The tactile joy adds loads to the experience. If art and component quality matter to you, this one’s a safe bet. I definitely recommend it—unless Dave steals my copy first.
Conclusion
So, that’s it for my Planet of the Apes review! This game nails the theme—if you love apes, movies, or yelling at your friends to work together, it shines. Art and pieces are brilliant, story keeps things fresh, and it feels fair for everyone. Yeah, there are some tricky moments, but nothing that made me fling the box out the window. If you want a team challenge with loads of movie flair, grab this game and go bananas. Unless your friend Dave steals the dice again.
