Zoo King

About this board game

Zoo King is a 2022 board game for 2–4 players, with games lasting about 30 minutes. Compete to build the best zoo by acquiring animal, staff, and facility cards, while pursuing awards revealed throughout the game.

Each player begins with 1,000 money and first purchases one staff or facility card from their starting allotment. The event and award cards are randomized into a single deck, organized into groups based on the number of players. On every turn, reveal an event card, then take two actions.

• Purchase an available animal, staff, or facility card and add it to your zoo.
• Draw from either the animal deck or the staff/facility deck, then purchase or discard the card.
• Buy the top card of either discard pile at a discount, provided you did not discard it this turn.
• Exchange an animal in your zoo for one of equal or lesser cost or star value from the market or a discard pile.

Collecting a pair of animals earns an immediate 100-money bonus. Event cards can also provide money, while staff and facility cards offer discounts and other benefits. These choices help shape your zoo as you prepare for the award ceremonies.

After a set number of rounds, the first award cards appear. Awards are handed out one at a time, while tied awards return to the bottom of the event deck. Categories include most felines, the most money in hand, and the highest total star value.

In Zoo King, the first player to collect three awards wins immediately, or four awards in a two-player game. If nobody wins during the first ceremony, another event round leads to further awards.