- BGG rating
- 7.7
Bärenpark: The Bad News Bears
- 2–4 players
- 30–45 min
- Complexity 2.1/5
- 2019
- BGG rank
- BGG #433
- BGG rating
- 7.3
Bärenpark
2017
Rules assistance for Bärenpark
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–4 players
- 30–45 min
- 8+
- Complexity 1.7/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for Bärenpark
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Bärenpark is a board game released in 2017 for 2–4 players, 30–45 minutes per game, and ages 8 and up. It was designed by Phil Walker-Harding and its main mechanics are Set Collection, Tile Placement, and Square Grid.
Expansions
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About the game
Up to two thousand pounds in weight and over ten feet tall, the bear is considered the biggest and heaviest terrestrial carnivore in the world. Of course, there is not just "one bear"; on the contrary, there are plenty of subspecies that differ from each other in various aspects. For instance, only the Kodiak bear (Ursus arctos middendorffi) weighs about 2,000 lbs. The polar bear (Ursus maritimus) weighs "only" 1,100 lbs., but gets much bigger than the Kodiak bear, being as much as 11 ft. tall! Bärenpark takes you into the world of bears, challenging you to build your own bear park. Would you like another polar bear enclosure or rather a koala* house? The park visitors are sure to get hungry on their tour through the park, so build them places to eat! Whatever your choices are, make sure you get the next building permit and use your land wisely! (* No, koalas aren't bears, but they're so cute we couldn't leave them out of this game!) In more detail, each player in Bärenpark builds their own bear park, attempting to make it as beautiful as they can, while also using every square meter possible. The park is created by combining polyomino tiles onto a grid, with players scoring for animal houses, outdoor areas, completed construction, and more. The sooner you build it, the better! Cover icons to get new tiles and park sections. The game ends as soon as one player has finished expanding their park; then players tally their points to see who has won. —description from the publisher
Designers
Publishers
- Hobby Japan
- GoKids 玩樂小子
- Korea Boardgames
- GaGa Games
- uplay.it edizioni
- Maldito Games
- 999 Games
- Mayfair Games
- Lacerta
- Lanlalen
- Funforge
- Lookout Games
- Compaya.hu: Gamer Café Kft.
- Ludofy Creative
Questions and answers
Bärenpark 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 Bärenpark is 30–45 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 Bärenpark for ages 8 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.
Bärenpark has a complexity rating of 1.7 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.
Bärenpark belongs to these categories: Animals and Puzzle. Its main mechanics are Set Collection, Tile Placement, and Square Grid. 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 Bärenpark are: Phil Walker-Harding. 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 Bärenpark 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.