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How to Play "O Zoo le Mio"

by Contributing Writer

Overview

"O Zoo le Mio" is a board game where players compete to create the best zoo. This is accomplished by bidding on various zoo tiles that contain paths and different kinds of animal exhibits. By strategically bidding on and placing these tiles, players attempt to attract visitors and gain points. It's almost like a very complex zoo-related variant on dominoes.

How to Play "O Zoo le Mio"

Step 1

Shuffle the 25 zoo tiles face-down. Place a flag for each player in random order on the flagpole. Give each player a matching starting shack, starting path and 8 zoo coins. Slide the shack into your starting path so the open back faces you, and hide your zoo coins in the shack. You are now ready to start the game.
Step 2

Start the round by revealing 5 zoo tiles, lined up in order from left to right.
Step 3

Hold an auction for the right-most revealed tile. Each player selects some number of his zoo coins, hides them in his hand, and thrusts his hand into the center. Once all players have done this, all players reveal their hands. Whoever bid the most coins is the winner. In the case of a tie, whoever's flag is highest on the flagpole wins, and that player's flag is moved to the bottom of the flagpole.
Step 4

Give the tile to the winner, who must pay the coins she bid to the bank (a central pile). All other players retain the coins they bid. The winning player must then place the tile such that it connects to at least one path she already controls. Tiles must be placed as if they were dominoes--that is, edge to edge such that each tile borders the other on either half of a long side or the entirety of a short side. Also, tiles may not be placed so that any paths now lead into grass rather than an extension of that path.
Step 5

Assign visitors to the new tile. Look at the two colors of stars on the new tile, and see if either one is now part of a connected set of same-colored stars. (Stars of the same color are connected if they are on two adjacent tile halves.) If either set of stars created is now the largest set of that color stars on the board (e.g. 5 red stars), place two visitors of the matching color (e.g. red visitors) on those stars. The third visitor of that color should be placed on the largest connected set of that color stars belonging to another player (e.g. an opponent with 4 red stars).
Step 6

Add a park bench to your zoo whenever you create a path that completely encloses an area. In order to enclose an area, you must have a complete unbroken path that creates a full continuous loop. Place a bench in the center of the enclosed area to mark your completed loop path.
Step 7

Repeat Steps 3 through 6 for each of the five zoo tiles, then end the round. Count up the number of visitors and benches on your board, and multiply the sum by the current round number (e.g. 1 for the first round, 2 for the second round, etc.). Add the total to your current score.
Step 8

End the game if you just scored the fifth and final round; the player with the highest score wins. Otherwise, take one zoo coin from the bank for each zoo tile in your zoo area, and return to Step 2 to start the next round.