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- BGG #2,532
- BGG rating
- 6.8
Impulse
- 2–6 players
- 30–60 min
- Complexity 3.0/5
- 2013
- BGG rank
- BGG #31,153
- BGG rating
- 5.2
Bear Valley
2016
Rules assistance for Bear Valley
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 15–30 min
- 8+
- Complexity 1.8/5
Rules assistant for Bear Valley
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Bear Valley is a board game released in 2016 for 2–6 players, 15–30 minutes per game, and ages 8 and up. It was designed by Carl Chudyk and its main mechanics are Push Your Luck, Player Elimination, and Modular Board.
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About the game
In Bear Valley, you must be the first to survive the treacherous wilderness and escape to the safety of the camp at the end of the valley. Players start as 2-6 campers along the Bear River and must navigate the wilderness, avoiding bears and trying to not get lost. The map of trails and challenges is built by the players as they explore the wilderness. These wilderness cards feature beautifully illustrated realistic art and have between three and six exit points along with a variety of features, both man-made and natural in origin. No two games will ever play the same. Gameplay is structured around a clever movement mechanism in which the first player moves one card, the second player moves up to two cards, the third player three, and so on. Each of the six player characters has both advantages and disadvantages that can be used across a variety of play options — short or long play, regular or advanced. Dive into caves, row canoes, cross bridges, climb mountains, and cut through treacherous underbrush as you stop at nothing — except bears — to be the first to reach base camp. Can you survive and escape Bear Valley?
Editions
- Bear ValleyenStronghold Games2016
Categories
Designers
Publishers
- Stronghold Games
Questions and answers
Bear Valley supports 2–6 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 Bear Valley is 15–30 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 Bear Valley 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.
Bear Valley has a complexity rating of 1.8 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.
Bear Valley belongs to these categories: Card Game, Animals, and Exploration. Its main mechanics are Push Your Luck, Player Elimination, and Modular Board. 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 Bear Valley are: Carl Chudyk. 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 Bear Valley 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.