- BGG rank
- BGG #3,922
- BGG rating
- 6.6
Go Cuckoo!
- 2–5 players
- 10–15 min
- Complexity 1.0/5
- 2016
- BGG rank
- BGG #9,039
- BGG rating
- 6.1
Baobab
2012
Rules assistance for Baobab
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–4 players
- 20 min
- 6+
- Complexity 1.2/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for Baobab
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Baobab is a board game released in 2012 for 2–4 players, 20 minutes per game, and ages 6 and up. It was designed by Josep M. Allué and its main mechanics are Hand Management and Stacking and Balancing.
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About the game
In the dexterity game Baobab, a.k.a. Tumble Tree, players are dealt the 108 cards at random and cannot look at the cards in their deck. The tree trunk — which is the game container in many versions — is placed in the middle of the table with the lid on it. On a turn, a player announces that they'll play 1-3 cards, then they turn the cards over from their deck one by one, placing them on the tree as required by what's depicted on the card. If the card shows only foliage, then you can place it anywhere; if it shows a flower or monkey, then you must make the card hang over the edge so that the "ground" depicted on the card has no part of the tree underneath it. The snake must be placed between two other cards, the toucan tossed on top from a foot away, the leopard dropped straight onto the tree from a foot above, and the bat dropped onto the tree — but only after you close your eyes before extending your arm over the table! The beehive card can't be covered by anything except foliage and flowers, while the chameleon copies the card previously played. If any cards fall off the tree while you're adding something to it, then you place those cards (and any cards that you've yet to place that turn) in a personal penalty pile. As soon as someone places their final card, the game ends. Players count the cards remaining in their deck with those in their penalty pile, and whoever has the fewest cards wins!
Categories
Designers
Publishers
- Rebel Sp. z o.o.
- Kod Kod
- Piatnik
- 999 Games
- Blue Orange Games
- Blue Orange (EU)
- Mercurio
- Hemz Universal Games Co. Ltd.
- Joymath
Questions and answers
Baobab supports 2–4 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 Baobab is 20 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 Baobab 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.
Baobab has a complexity rating of 1.2 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.
Baobab belongs to these categories: Animals, Children's Game, and Action / Dexterity. Its main mechanics are Hand Management and Stacking and Balancing. 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 Baobab are: Josep M. Allué. 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 Baobab 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.