Agricola

Well, You Could Always Go Fishing

In Agricola (pronounced a-GRI-co-la, it's Latin for "farmer"), you're a farmer in a wooden shack with your spouse and little else. On a turn, you get to take only two actions, one for you and one for the spouse, from all the possibilities you'll find on a farm: collecting clay, wood or stone; building fences; and so on. You might think about having kids in order to get more work accomplished, but first you need to expand your house. And what are you going to feed all the little rugrats?

Agricola is a turn-based game. There are 14 game turns plus 6 harvest phases (after turn 4, 7, 9, 11, 13, and 14). Each player starts with two playing tokens (farmer and wife) and thus can take two actions per turn. There are multiple options, and while the game progresses, you'll have more and more: first thing in a turn, a new action card is flipped over.

What makes this game such a top-rated and popular pick for experienced gamers is that you can make it as complex as you like. Want a simple game of planning and building a cool little farm? You got it! Want to add a dozen options and possibilities making every game - and every player's farm - a totally unique experience? Agricola is equipped for that! It's a comprehensive game with a lot of pieces, but a totally satisfying experience.

All the Little Details

• # Players: 1-5
• Duration: 120-180 minutes
• Publisher: Z-Man Games
• Awards Won: Spiel des Jahres 2008, Special Prize for Complex Game
• Online Price: $53.90