Cascadia is a game that offers a deeply satisfying and calming gaming experience. Set against the backdrop of the stunning Pacific Northwest, players are tasked with creating their own serene wilderness landscapes, complete with diverse flora and fauna.
The game’s simple yet strategic tile-laying mechanics make it accessible to players of all skill levels, while its intricate puzzle-like nature provides a gratifying challenge.
Each carefully placed tile contributes to the growth and balance of your personal wilderness, and as your landscape evolves, you’ll find a deep sense of fulfillment in watching it flourish. The combination of gorgeous artwork, thoughtful gameplay, and the opportunity to create your own natural haven makes Cascadia a game that not only engages the mind but also nourishes the soul, leaving players with a tranquil sense of contentment after each playthrough.
What’s included in Cascadia?
- Terrain Tiles: These represent different types of landscapes, such as forests, mountains, and wetlands.
- Animal Tokens: These tokens depict various wildlife species, including bears, salmon, and beavers.
- Scoring Tokens: These tokens are used to keep track of players’ scores.
- Habitat Cards: Each card shows a specific scoring condition for certain animals and terrain types.
- Overview Cards: These cards provide a summary of the game’s rules and scoring.
- Rulebook: The rulebook contains detailed instructions for gameplay and scoring.
How to play Cascadia
Cascadia is a tile-laying board game where players create their own beautiful wilderness landscapes by matching different terrain types and habitats to score points. Here’s a detailed guide on how to play:
Setup
- Shuffle the Terrain Tiles and place them face down to create a draw pile.
- Shuffle the Animal Tokens and place them face down in separate stacks.
- Place the Scoring Tokens in a supply pile.
- Shuffle the Habitat Cards and deal two face-up to each player.
- Each player chooses one of their Habitat Cards and places it face down in front of them, discarding the other.
- Create a common pool of Animal Tokens and Scoring Tokens within reach of all players.
Rules for Cascadia
Cascadia is played over a series of turns, with each turn consisting of the following steps:
1. Draw Tiles
- The active player draws tiles from the draw pile based on the number of players (2 tiles in a 2-player game, 3 tiles in a 3-4 player game).
- Place the drawn tiles face up in the center of the table.
2. Draft Tiles
- Starting with the active player and proceeding clockwise, players take turns selecting one tile from the center or the common pool of Animal Tokens.
- The active player selects their tile last.
3. Place Tiles
- Players take turns placing their selected terrain tiles on their personal wilderness grid, matching terrain types and attempting to create habitats.
- Terrain tiles must be placed adjacent to each other orthogonally.
- If an animal icon is on a tile, players may place a matching Animal Token on it.
- Players can also complete habitats by placing the required Animal Tokens adjacent to the terrain tiles.
- Completed habitats are scored immediately based on the habitat cards in play.
4. Score Habitats
- After placing tiles, players score points for completed habitats according to the requirements on their habitat cards.
- Score tokens are collected and added to the player’s total.
5. Refresh Tiles
- Any remaining tiles in the center are discarded, and new tiles are drawn to replace them.
- Players return any unselected Animal Tokens to the common pool.
6. End of Turn
- The active player passes the First Player token clockwise.
- A new round begins.
Game End: The game continues until all tiles have been placed on players’ wilderness grids. The player with the highest score at the end of the game wins. Ties are broken by the player with the most remaining Scoring Tokens.
Additional Rules
- Some Habitat Cards have special scoring conditions or abilities that may affect gameplay.
- Players can choose different Habitat Cards during the game to pursue various scoring strategies.
For the official rules, see the links below:
How to win Cascadia
Winning in “Cascadia” requires a balance of tile placement, habitat completion, and strategic use of Animal Tokens. Here are some winning strategies to help you maximize your score:
- Plan Ahead: Take a moment to analyze your Habitat Cards at the start of the game. Identify which terrain types and animal combinations will earn you the most points. Focus on these objectives as you play.
- Terrain Diversity: Aim for a diverse selection of terrain types on your wilderness grid. Having a variety of terrain tiles will increase your flexibility in completing habitats that require different terrains.
- Complete Habitats Efficiently: Try to complete habitats as soon as possible to earn immediate points. Look for opportunities to place terrain tiles that fulfill multiple habitat requirements in one move.
- Animal Placement: Be strategic with the placement of Animal Tokens. Consider how they will help you complete habitats in the future. Placing animals adjacent to incomplete habitats can set you up for big points in later turns.
- Tile Placement: Pay attention to the tile placement of your opponents. Try to anticipate their moves and block them from completing habitats that align with your own objectives.
- Adapt to Habitat Cards: Don’t be afraid to change your strategy during the game if you draw new Habitat Cards that offer better scoring opportunities. Flexibility is key to success.
- Complete Unique Habitats: Completing habitats with unique requirements can lead to big point gains. These habitats are less likely to be contested by other players, giving you an advantage.
- Use Animal Tokens Wisely: Be mindful of the scarcity of Animal Tokens, especially for rarer animals. Don’t spend them on habitats that offer minimal points. Reserve them for habitats with higher scoring potential.
- Balance Expansion and Optimization: While expanding your wilderness grid is important, ensure that you’re optimizing your existing habitats as well. Completing additional habitats often yields more points than simply adding terrain tiles.
- Manage Scoring Tokens: Keep an eye on your Scoring Tokens. They can be a valuable tiebreaker if players have the same score at the end. Try to collect as many as possible without compromising your main scoring strategy.
- Diversify Your Strategy: In games with multiple players, consider diversifying your strategy to avoid direct competition for specific terrain or animal types. This can make it easier to complete habitats without interference.
- Observe Opponents: Pay attention to your opponents’ progress and objectives. If you see them working toward specific habitats, consider blocking or competing with them to deny points.