
- BGG rank
- BGG #14,087
- BGG rating
- 7.0
Cookie Party
- 2–5 players
- 20 min
- Complexity 1.5/5
- 2025
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1993
Rules assistance for Zankapfel
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
For 3 players
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What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Zankapfel is a board game released in 1993 for 3–6 players, 60 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Ralf zur Linde and Michael Hageböck and its main mechanics are Simultaneous Action Selection and Commodity Speculation.
Players take turns moving a token around a matrix that determines the price of each of four different types of apples. However, before adjusting the price, players decide whether they will attempt to sell a particular apple type or buy a new apple. If more than one player decides to sell a given variety, then a bidding war takes place with the reward being the newly adjusted price or a swift kick to the teeth. Once someone has sold enough apples to move his scoring token around the board's scoring track, the game is over and the highest paid player is the winner. Contents 1 Board 6 Dice 6 Apple Farmers 1 Mayor 1 Big apple 50 Apple cards (10 of each colour plus 10 multi-coloured) 60 Contention cards (10 of each colour) 25 Harvest chips
Zankapfel supports 3–6 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 Zankapfel is 60 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 Zankapfel for ages 12 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.
Zankapfel has a complexity rating of 2.0 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.
Zankapfel belongs to these categories: Bluffing. Its main mechanics are Simultaneous Action Selection and Commodity Speculation. 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 Zankapfel are: Ralf zur Linde and Michael Hageböck. 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 Zankapfel 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.