- BGG rating
- 6.5
Australian Menagerie: Australian Alps Expansion
- 2–6 players
- 30 min
- 1999
- BGG rank
- BGG #27,490
- BGG rating
- 5.5
Australian Menagerie
1999
Rules assistance for Australian Menagerie
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–3 players
- 10 min
- 6+
- Complexity 1.1/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for Australian Menagerie
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Australian Menagerie is a board game released in 1999 for 2–3 players, 10 minutes per game, and ages 6 and up. It was designed by Pat Darlington and Dan Nicholls and its main mechanics are Set Collection, Team-Based Game, and Melding and Splaying.
Expansions
- BGG rating
- 6.5
Australian Menagerie: Red Centre Expansion
- 2–6 players
- 30 min
- Complexity 1.0/5
- 1999
- BGG rating
- 6.1
Australian Menagerie: Tasmanian Expansion
- 2–6 players
- 30 min
- 1999
- BGG rating
- 6.9
Australian Menagerie: Coral Reef Habitat
- 2–6 players
- 30 min
- Complexity 1.0/5
- 2004
- BGG rating
- 7.0
Australian Menagerie: Tropical Rainforest Habitat
- 2–6 players
- 30 min
- Complexity 1.0/5
- 2004
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About the game
A competitive game of chance and strategy which highlights the diverse range of Australia's wildlife and habitats. The aim is to collect as many animal cards as you can for each habitat of your nature reserve You score points for each animal card you have in your nature reserve at the end of each hand. The first player, or team to gain 100 points wins the game. There is the second level of difficulty, where players can cast threats on other player's habitants, e.g. fire, pollution, feral animals.. And can protect their habitants from threats.
Categories
Designers
Publishers
- Wild Connections
Questions and answers
Australian Menagerie supports 2–3 players according to the catalogue. This range comes from the publisher’s listed player count, so the game can be set up for any group size within it. Some setups, rules and scoring details may still vary by player count, so check your edition’s rulebook for the exact configuration.
The listed playing time for Australian Menagerie is 10 minutes. This is the publisher’s estimate for a full game. The actual duration depends on the group, the player count and familiarity with the rules: first sessions usually run longer, while experienced groups often finish faster. Setup and teaching time are not included in this estimate.
The catalogue lists Australian Menagerie for ages 6 and up. This is the publisher’s recommendation and reflects reading demands, rule complexity and small components rather than theme alone. Younger players can often join with help from an adult, so check the age guidance on your edition and consider your group’s experience with board games.
Australian Menagerie has a complexity rating of 1.1 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a light game. The rating reflects how much rules knowledge, planning and decision-making a typical game demands. Expect a longer first teach for heavier games, and use a preparation guide before game night.
Australian Menagerie belongs to these categories: Card Game, Animals, and Educational. Its main mechanics are Set Collection, Team-Based Game, and Melding and Splaying. Categories describe the theme and setting of a game, while mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you want something comparable.
The credited designers of Australian Menagerie are: Pat Darlington and Dan Nicholls. These credits come from the published game data and name the people responsible for the game’s design, not its illustrators or publishers. Designer pages on MeepleRules collect other titles by the same designers, which helps when you enjoy a game and want to find similar ones.
The catalogue lists Australian Menagerie as a base game. It can be played on its own with the components in the box and does not require any other title. Expansions, if any exist, add new content or rules on top of it and are listed separately in the catalogue with a link back to this base game.