- BGG rank
- BGG #1,789
- BGG rating
- 7.0
Ishtar: Gardens of Babylon
2019
Rules assistance for Ishtar: Gardens of Babylon
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–4 players
- 45 min
- 14+
- Complexity 2.3/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for Ishtar: Gardens of Babylon
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Ishtar: Gardens of Babylon is a board game released in 2019 for 2–4 players, 45 minutes per game, and ages 14 and up. It was designed by Bruno Cathala and Evan Singh and its main mechanics are Area Majority / Influence, Tile Placement, and Rondel.
About the game
From the award-winning designer Bruno Cathala, Ishtar is a game in which you play the role of a gardener aiming to transform the dry desert into the Lost Hanging Gardens of Babylon. To accomplish your mission, you will have to plant flowers, which, if you place them well, can help you gather precious gems and activate actions. Whether to buy Trees (which will block the link between two Flower spots, as well as earning you points) or to purchase upgrades (such as getting two more points per Tree card at the end of the game), collecting gems will be a crucial part of the game. Get them before your opponents, recruit apprentices, send them to earn points in the copses of flowers you have created, block others and think carefully of the upgrades to purchase if you want to become the best gardener at the end of the game! —description from the publisher
Categories
Designers
Publishers
- Devir
- Buró
- Hobby Japan
- Portal Games
- IELLO
- Mancalamaro
- Hutter Trade GmbH + Co KG
- MEBO Games
Questions and answers
Ishtar: Gardens of Babylon 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 Ishtar: Gardens of Babylon is 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 Ishtar: Gardens of Babylon for ages 14 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.
Ishtar: Gardens of Babylon has a complexity rating of 2.3 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-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.
Ishtar: Gardens of Babylon belongs to these categories: Ancient. Its main mechanics are Area Majority / Influence, Tile Placement, and Rondel. 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 Ishtar: Gardens of Babylon are: Bruno Cathala and Evan Singh. 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 Ishtar: Gardens of Babylon 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.