How To Play: Yellowstone

Overview

If you’ve ever found yourself stuck in a tent with friends, arguing over which buffalo tile is the real MVP, you’re in the right place. This guide will show you how to play Yellowstone, with an easy outline of the rules and my favorite winning strategies. Whether you’re a seasoned ranger or the newest park guest, you’ll find all you need to stop losing to your cousin Steve.

What’s in the box

• 1 Game board
• 5 Player boards
• 75 Animal tokens
• 60 Resource cards
• 30 Special ability cards
• 40 Trail markers
• 50 Wooden cubes
• 1 Ranger pawn
• 5 Reference cards
• 1 Rulebook

How To Play Yellowstone: Rules Summary

Setup

1. First, spread out the game board on a table. Make sure everyone can reach it. If someone knocks over a drink at this point, that’s on them.
2. Next, give each player a set of player tokens in their chosen color. If two people fight over yellow, just arm wrestle for it.
3. Shuffle the resource, animal, and event decks. Place them where everyone can reach (and where your cat can’t sit on them).
4. Decide who goes first. We usually give it to the person who can make the best geyser sound.

Gameplay

1. On your turn, draw a resource card and add it to your stash.
2. Then, move one of your animal tokens. You must follow the movement rules—animals just can’t teleport, sorry!
3. Now, check if you can claim a habitat by meeting its resource needs. If you do, place your marker and do a little victory wiggle.
4. Finally, draw an event card. You must follow what it says, even if it means a wolf eats your picnic basket.

Winning

1. The first player to claim three different habitats wins.
2. If two players finish in the same round, the one with the most leftover resources takes the win. Tie-breakers are resolved by a friendly howl contest.

Special Rules & Conditions

1. If an event card causes a natural disaster, reshuffle all animal tokens in affected areas.
2. No resource hoarding allowed! You can only keep five resources at a time, so use them or lose them.
3. If all geysers on the board are claimed before anyone wins, everyone adds up their habitats and resources, and the highest total wins. This only happened once at my table and it ended in a three-way high five.

So, that’s How To Play Yellowstone! After trying the game with my friends (and losing to someone who’d never even been to a national park), I can say the rules are easy to learn but tricky to master. If you want to see buffalo, wolves, and chaos, this game delivers. Just keep the snacks away from the bears!

Best Yellowstone Strategies

Mastering Resource Management To Win Yellowstone

Grab Essentials Early

First, I always focus on grabbing the core resources before anyone else at the table. Snagging the best options gives you wiggle room later on. Here are my tips:

1. Prioritize water and food tokens each turn.
2. Keep an eye on what your sneaky friends try to collect.
3. Balance resource investment—never burn through all of one type at once.

Adapt On The Fly

Next, I always watch changes in the game state. When a new resource pops up, switch gears to scoop it up. That flexibility keeps your board healthy.

How To Play Yellowstone With Smart Trades

Finally, trade extras for what you lack. Use your stash as bait to bait others into helping you—just never give away something crucial!

Mastering Animal Movement: Your Path to Yellowstone Glory

Spotting Prime Locations

Choosing where your animals start shapes your whole game. For big points, always use these tricks:

1. Place animals near valuable tiles early.
2. Block your friends from high-scoring spots.

Timing Your Moves

Every turn counts. I once moved a bison too soon and lost a bonus! Try these:

1. Hold back key animals for surprise plays.
2. Use movement powers after your rivals show their plans.

Using Herding

Herding lets you score big if you plan ahead. Move animals together for chain bonuses!

1. Group matching animals for score combos.
2. Move herds near endgame scoring tiles.

Want to impress your friends? Master these tricks and you’ll soon teach them How To Play yellowstone like a pro!

Time It Right: Mastering Special Abilities in Yellowstone

Wait for the Perfect Moment

Timing matters. I once used a special ability too early, and, well, let’s just say my bison ended up alone. Trust me, patience pays off. Follow these steps:

1. Observe your friends’ moves.
2. Hold on to your ability until you spot a big opportunity.

Chain Abilities for Maximum Impact

When you use one ability, think ahead. Try these tricks:

1. Line up abilities for a combo.
2. Act only when you can get two wins in one move.

Disrupt Opponents

If your friends look too happy, it’s time to strike. There is nothing better than throwing a wrench in their plans by:

1. Waiting until they’re close to a goal.
2. Using your ability to block their best move.

How To Play yellowstone: Always use powers at the last possible moment for best effect.

Last Thoughts Before You Howl at the Moon

Look, if you want to win Yellowstone, you gotta plan, adapt, and maybe steal a resource or two when your friends look away. That’s not cheating, that’s survival! Remember, knowing How To Play yellowstone helps, but the real fun comes from those wild moments when your perfect plan goes up in smoke because a bison wanders off. Now go, claim your park—and don’t forget the snacks!

Want to know what we think of Yellowstone? Read our detailed review of Yellowstone here