How To Play: Planet of the Apes

Planet of the Apes is a wild co-op game where apes (that’s you!) battle the odds. Get the rules right, balance your goals, and use teamwork to beat the timeline. Resource juggling matters! Want tips? Search 'How To Play planet of the apes' for help, laughs, and survival advice.

Planet of the Apes - Planet of the Apes, IDW Games, 2017 — front cover (image provided by the publisher) - Credit: W Eric Martin

Welcome, fellow primates! Last weekend, my group and I swung right into Planet of the Apes, bananas and all. If you ever wondered how to play Planet of the Apes without looking silly at your table, this guide is for you. I’ll outline the rules in plain English and share our best strategies for acting smart, surviving, and – if you’re lucky – winning.

Overview

What’s in the box

  • 1 Game Board
  • 4 Hero Boards
  • 5 Hero Standees
  • 1 Lawgiver Figure
  • 112 Cards
  • 4 Reference Sheets
  • 34 Tokens
  • 1 Rulebook
  • 1 Sheet of Stickers

How To Play planet of the apes: Rules Summary

Setup: Get Ready For Chaos

  1. Lay out the game board in the middle. Make sure it’s not upside down or covered in pizza grease, like my cousin did once.

  2. Give each player a Hero Board. Choose wisely. Or just fight about it like we did.

  3. Place all standees (apes, humans, the Lawgiver) in their starting spots. You know you’re doing well if they’re not already fighting each other.

  4. Deal cards: event, encounter, and revelation decks each get shuffled and placed on the board. Try not to drop them on the floor (as I learned, it takes forever to sort them again).

  5. Hand out resource tokens and item cards to the correct spots or players.

  6. Take a deep breath and prepare for banana-based drama.

Gameplay: Monkey Business Begins

  1. Each round, flip an event card. Read out loud in your best dramatic movie voice (I recommend this, especially for maximum effect).

  2. Players take turns, starting with the First Player. Move, take actions, trade, or bicker—just like real life.

  3. Use skills and items to tackle challenges and keep the timeline moving. We learned quickly that hoarding bananas is both smart and funny.

  4. Encounter cards throw surprises at you. React fast or pay the price. Sometimes that price is dignity.

  5. Advance the timeline marker after each round. Trust me, it sneaks up quick.

Winning: Evolve or Go Home

  1. Work together to complete all goal cards before the timeline runs out.

  2. If you succeed, high five and brag. If you fail, blame the Lawgiver and make monkey sounds (optional, but highly encouraged).

Special Rules & Conditions: Watch Out!

  1. Certain event cards add special rules for a turn. Don’t ignore them – or chaos (and not the fun type) follows.

  2. If a player’s hero is knocked out, follow the rules on the hero’s board for what happens next. Yes, you might have to do something embarrassing.

  3. If the Lawgiver statue is toppled, prepare for major disruptions. (This has ended friendships in my group, no joke.)

With these rules, you’ll know How To Play planet of the apes without flipping the table. May your bananas be plenty and your apes wise!

Best Planet of the Apes Strategies

Keep Calm and Balance the Monkey Business!

Don’t Forget the Humans

While you’re swinging from trees, humans can mess up your plans fast. Remember, keeping humans under control is just as important as growing your ape ranks.

  1. Keep an eye on human actions every round.
  2. Stop uprisings before they start.

Juggling Objectives

You need to do more than beat your chest. Both apes and humans have goals. If you only focus on apes, you’ll regret it as humans catch up.

  1. Check the win conditions every turn.
  2. Balance offensive and defensive moves.

Teamwork Makes the Dream Work

Sometimes you gotta work with humans. It feels weird, but trust me, it helps. You might even become friends—until it’s time to win.

  1. Make deals with humans when it helps your cause.
  2. Don’t trust them too much. They remember everything.

Now, if you’re searching for How To Play planet of the apes, balancing these goals will boost your chance of ruling the planet (and maybe, just maybe, keeping your banana stash safe).

Master Resource Management and Rule the Apes

Watch Your Resources Like a Hawk

I learned fast that leftovers get you nowhere in Planet of the Apes. Every banana, tool, or clue matters. Here’s what helped me win most games:

  1. Never hoard—spend cards if it boosts your team.
  2. Always swap resources with others to cover weak spots.
  3. Track your needs for upcoming challenges to avoid panic moves.
Plan for Shortages

Once, we got stingy and paid the price. Plan for lean turns by:

  1. Pooling resources early and spreading the love.
  2. Saving just enough for emergencies, never too much.
Adapt on the Fly

When surprises hit, smart players shift their focus quickly. You’ll win more if you:

  1. Switch strategies based on new info or obstacles.
  2. Spot patterns in resource use and get ahead of the curve.

That’s how to play Planet of the Apes without running out of steam—or bananas.

Team Up or Get Trampled: Outsmarting the Timeline in Planet of the Apes!

Communication is Key

  1. Always talk to your group about threats. I once forgot and watched Zira get clobbered by a random event. Oops.

  2. Share what you plan to do. Don’t hog actions or keep secrets!

Use Abilities Wisely

  1. Plan team abilities before the round starts. Try to overlap skills for big moments.

  2. Rotate who takes risks. Spread the pain—it keeps everyone in the fight.

React Together

  1. If you mess up, do not panic! Adjust plans as a team. That’s usually how we avoid disaster at my table.

  2. Quickly patch up mistakes rather than blame. The timeline won’t wait for your squabbles!

Addressing the “How To Play planet of the apes” Trick

  1. Read the timeline events together. In “How To Play planet of the apes,” knowing what’s next helps everyone stay on track!

Planet of the Apes: Go Forth and Be Hairy!

Alright, fellow primates, that’s the whole banana—err, I mean, strategy guide. After more nights than I’d like to admit yelling, “Why is Cornelius always in trouble?!” at my friends, I can say that this game rewards teamwork, planning, and a healthy appetite for chaos. Don’t forget: even the best plans can crumble if you forget to work together. So next time you pull out this box of monkey business, remember these tips, use your resources, and always keep a close eye on the timeline.

Now you can answer the question, “How To Play planet of the apes?” like a pro! Go on, teach the humans (and apes) at your table who’s boss. And yes, you can thank me when you win by thumping your chest and making an ape noise. Trust me, your friends will love it—mine tolerate it. Happy gaming!

Want to know what we think of Planet of the Apes? Read our detailed review of Planet of the Apes here

Jamie in his proper element: With all of his board games
Jamie Hopkins

With years of dice-rolling, card-flipping, and strategic planning under my belt, I've transformed my passion into expertise. I thrive on dissecting the mechanics and social dynamics of board games, sharing insights from countless game nights with friends. I dive deep into gameplay mechanics, while emphasizing the social joys of gaming. While I appreciate themes and visuals, it's the strategy and camaraderie that truly capture my heart.