- BGG rank
- BGG #526
- BGG rating
- 7.2
Biblios
- 2–4 players
- 30 min
- Complexity 1.7/5
- 2007
- BGG rank
- BGG #18,365
- BGG rating
- 6.1
The Butterfly Garden (Second Edition)
2021
Rules assistance for The Butterfly Garden (Second Edition)
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–5 players
- 30 min
- 14+
- Complexity 1.4/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for The Butterfly Garden (Second Edition)
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
The Butterfly Garden (Second Edition) is a board game released in 2021 for 2–5 players, 30 minutes per game, and ages 14 and up. It was designed by Steve Finn and its main mechanics are Set Collection.
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About the game
Help save endangered butterflies! Construction projects in your city are disrupting the natural butterfly habitat. Capture butterflies and deliver them to protected butterfly gardens in local zoos, botanical gardens, and museums. The game is played in a series of rounds. Players start each round by playing a card from their hands to determine the round's turn order. Cards are numbered from 0 to 59, and lower numbered cards go first. On a turn, a player captures butterflies from the field and adds them to the jar. When possible, players "deliver butterflies" from their jars to the different butterfly gardens to score victory points (VPs). Which butterflies can be delivered is indicated on the face-up "delivery cards" and players are often in a race to deliver butterflies to take the cards and score points. The player with the most VPs at the end of the game wins. During the game, players must carefully decide which butterfly cards to play. By playing lowered numbered cards, players not only get a better pick of butterflies in the field, but they also get first chance at delivering butterflies. However, lower numbered butterfly cards usually have fewer butterflies on them, so players cannot add as many to their jars. Also, butterfly cards with special powers usually have high numbers, so you often must sacrifice turn order in order to use one of these special powers. In this second edition, the artwork and components have been upgraded. A major rule change is a new set-collection aspect of the delivery cards. There are now 4 types of delivery cards and players score a bonus for having a variety. Also, there are some minor rule changes with scoring butterflies in one's hand and jar at game end. Another small change is in the special powers on some of the cards. The maximum number of players in the second edition was lowered to 5 from 6.
Questions and answers
The Butterfly Garden (Second Edition) supports 2–5 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 The Butterfly Garden (Second Edition) is 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 The Butterfly Garden (Second Edition) 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.
The Butterfly Garden (Second Edition) has a complexity rating of 1.4 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.
The Butterfly Garden (Second Edition) belongs to these categories: Card Game and Animals. Its main mechanics are Set Collection. 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 The Butterfly Garden (Second Edition) are: Steve Finn. 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 The Butterfly Garden (Second Edition) 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.