Happy Little Dinosaurs is an engaging board game for two to four players that requires them to steer clear of various disasters to win the game. Setup and gameplay are quick and effortless!
Start each round by flipping over and reading a disaster card from their deck and selecting and playing one Point card from their hand.
Let us discuss How to Play Happy Little Dinosaurs!
Rules
Happy Little Dinosaurs gives players the experience of becoming dinosaurs living in a world filled with tar pits, killer squirrels, bad haircuts and the ever-present threat of extinction. To prevail in this adventure-style game, players must overcome unexpected hurdles to triumphant victory!
Each player begins the game with a player board and dinosaur meeple, as well as five cards, which are divided into two piles according to colour (light or dark backs) for easy sorting: Main Deck (light back) and Disaster Deck (dark back).
Each round, a Disaster card is randomly drawn from the Disaster deck. Players then compare its symbol against those found on their player boards to determine its effect, using point card effects or Dinosaur traits as necessary.
Once all players have drawn and played one card, scoring begins; those who obtained the highest score receive points equal to their card’s point value and their meeple advance along their Escape Route on their player board.
Gameplay
Happy Little Dinosaurs is an adorable card game about life’s surprises and challenges, and players compete to ward off disaster as disaster after tragedy strikes the planet. The first player who collects fifty points or the only dinosaur still standing will become victorious!
Each player starts the game with a Player board and Dinosaur meeple, as well as five Point cards with values printed in their corners; some Point cards may even feature special effects that allow for discards, draws, swaps, or modifications to scoring rules for particular rounds.
Scoring a round in Dinosaur Quest involves assigning each player’s base score based on the Point card they played that round; additional points may be awarded or deducted depending on Dinosaur traits and Instant cards played during that particular round.
Scoring
If you want to play this game with more people, multiple expansion packs are available – each doesn’t alter the core game but adds different cards and ways to win.
Each player begins the game by selecting their dinosaur character and player board/meeple combination. They then take five Point cards and two Disaster cards – cards with light or dark backs should be separated into separate piles before being shuffled to form Point cards for points, while dark-backed cards include Disaster deck.
After each round, players move their meeple forward along their escape route on their player board by the value of any Point cards played and collect points based on Dinosaur traits and Instant cards played.
Variations
Happy Little Dinosaurs is a light family game that combines strategy and luck into one incredible experience. Featuring adorable dinosaurs with a cheeky sense of humor, Happy Little Dinosaurs provide hours of amusement for children and adults. Beginners can learn the ropes quickly, yet repeated plays provide endless fun!
Each player receives their own Dinosaur character, player board and meeple piece, five light-backed cards, and a card deck for gameplay. The game can accommodate 2 to 4 players simultaneously; an expansion pack may also be purchased if more people wish to join in!
Each player begins scoring by adding up the total printed on their Point card; however, some cards contain special effects that can be activated once revealed before scoring starts for any particular round.
Final Words
Happy Little Dinosaurs’ box may appear large due to its thick cardboard. Within, you will find four player boards featuring four specific dinosaurs – Cry Ceratops, Nervous Rex, Bad Luck Bronto and Stego – each bearing their respective nickname. There is also one main deck of cards, a second disaster deck, a rule guide, and some cute dino meeples!
Start playing by selecting a Dinosaur player board and meeple from the box provided, then draw five cards – three light-backed cards represent Point cards while three dark-backed cards represent Disaster cards – to determine who goes first in their hand of five cards.
Each round begins by flipping a Disaster card, followed by each player playing their Point card to attempt to avoid it. The player with the highest score moves their meeple along their escape route on their board until either reaching 50 points or leaving no dinosaur standing wins!