How to Play

New York Zoo

1-5 players 30-60 min 7.0 Board Game Geek Rating

Players develop animal parks by strategically choosing between two actions each turn: placing enclosure tiles as spatial puzzles or acquiring animals to populate habitats. Success depends on optimal timing to maximize breeding opportunities, as animals reproduce when specific conditions align. Victory comes from efficiently expanding your zoo while generating the most offspring through careful action sequencing.

Published 2020

New York Zoo

Get Ready

Setup the game with these step-by-step instructions before diving into your turn.

1
Select zoo boards
Locate the zoo boards corresponding to the number of players, using the markings in the lower-left of each board
2
Distribute boards
Following the numbers in the lower-right of each board, distribute the boards to player number one, two, etc.
3
Take starting animals
Each player takes the two starting animals pictured at the top of their board and places them in two houses
4
Position the elephant
Place the elephant on the main board near the red circle
5
Stack enclosure tiles
Stack enclosure tiles as depicted in each space of the main board, lightest (smallest) on bottom, to darkest (largest) on top
6
Reduce enclosure stacks
During setup, omit the topmost enclosure tile from each board space
7
Deal 7-segment tiles
Deal 3 random 7-segment enclosure tiles to each player
8
Deal 6-segment tiles
Deal 3 random 6-segment enclosure tiles to each player
9
Place starting tiles
Players place their 6 starting tiles in their zoo

On Your Turn

What you can do during your turn.

1
Move the elephant
Move the elephant clockwise, 1–4 steps for 2 or 4 players, 1–3 steps for 3 or 5 players; skip animal breeding lines and empty enclosure slots
2
Take an action
Acquire Animals or Add an Enclosure, depending on where you stop the elephant
3
Trigger breeding
All players may Breed Animals if a breeding line was passed
4
Take animals
Take the two pictured animals, or any one animal
5
Place in house
Place each animal in an empty house on your zoo board
6
Place in enclosure
Alternatively, place in an enclosure with free spaces; you may then move one animal to that enclosure from one of your houses
7
Score if full
Score the enclosure if it is now full
8
Take enclosure tile
Take the location's topmost enclosure tile
9
Position the tile
Rotate or flip it if desired and place it anywhere in your construction area
10
Move animals
Move one or two animals to the new enclosure from your houses and/or enclosures; you may not move the last animal out of an existing enclosure
11
Add offspring
Each player with an enclosure containing two or more of the breeding species may add one more to it from the supply
12
Breed multiple enclosures
This may be done for up to two enclosures of that species
13
Move from houses
Players may then move one animal to each of the breeding enclosures from their houses
14
Bonus breeding (2–3P only)
After breeding at least one enclosure, a player may breed in one extra enclosure containing any species
15
Score full enclosures
Score any enclosures that are now full, starting with the active player
16
Remove animals
Remove all animals from the full enclosure
17
Save one animal
Optionally move one of the animals to an available house
18
Discard remainder
Discard all remaining animals to the supply
19
Gain attraction
Choose one attraction tile and place it anywhere in your construction area
20
Same species rule
All animals in an enclosure must be of the same species
21
Movement restriction
Animals cannot be moved except as described above
22
Test-fitting tip
When test-fitting an enclosure, use the "?" token to remember its origin
23
Unlimited supply
Animals in the supply are unlimited
24
Unlimited small attractions
The smallest attraction tile (1x1 size) is unlimited

Winning

How to claim victory.

1
Fill your zoo
Completely fill your zoo's construction area with tiles (enclosures and attractions)
2
Immediate victory
The first player to fill their zoo wins immediately

watch & Learn

Let the pros teach you with these top videos.

Kości PLAY - New York Zoo (zasady + rozgrywka)

Kości PLAY - New York Zoo (zasady + rozgrywka)

Instructional

New York Zoo - First Impressions!

New York Zoo - First Impressions!

Review

MORE VIDEOS

FULL rules

Looking for the full details? Grab the complete rulebook as a downloadable PDF.

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