RavensburgerMinecraft: Builders & Biomes - Engaging Strategy Board Game | Ideal for 2-4 Players | Perfect for Ages 10 & Up | Authentic Minecraft Experience | Great Gift for Minecraft Enthusiasts

There's quite a bit of setup but I feel after a couple times playing it it probably won't take any more than 5 minutes. The rules are pretty straightforward. The game is simple enough that you don't have to think too much about it, but also has elements that lead themselves to it being a strategy game.10/10. This is our new favorite board game!

Truth be told, I bought this game last Christmas because I was at a loss as to what to get my Minecraft-loving 8 yr old. I figured he would like it because it was Minecraft-themed, but it probably wouldn’t be that much fun for the rest of us. I am glad to be proven wrong!The game pieces, etc., do have the Minecraft theme, of course, but you don’t have to know anything about Minecraft to understand the game. And the it’s actually an interesting game! The game creators didn’t just rely on the fact that MC fans would like it simply because of the theme.The game moves along at a nice pace, with various choices and moves to make along the way. You definitely can get some strategy going, but my 6-year-old son plays with minimal strategy and has fun too. My 8 year old has more strategy than his younger brother, though he favorite part is fighting the mobs. ;)I like that it is simple enough for my (admittedly intelligent) 8 year old to have a strategy, but also varied and just complex enough for me to actually enjoy the game rather than just endure it for my kids’ sake. Lol. I’m impressed and would definitely recommend this game!

The game is overwhelming when you take it out of the box. So many different parts, and you end up covering the table with components. There are lots of different actions and the scoring seems confusing... I was thinking how can this be a game for kids?!BUT then you actually play it, and it all starts to make sense! You begin to see how all the different systems work and integrate with each other. It turns out this is a true eurogame with a bunch of depth.Some reviewers complained that this was too complicated for their kids, but honestly I don't think they tried to play it for long enough. Watch a YouTube video to give you the basics. Once my kids (7+9) learned how the battle system worked, they were HOOKED.The scoring system is very flexible and rewards many playstyles, from a strategic builder to a mob-focused brawler, so different ages of players will all have fun.Highly recommend it!

We gave this game to our 7 year old son for Christmas. At first I was overwhelmed with all the pieces and different elements of the game. Understanding the directions took some time and effort but once we dove in and played through the game it made sense. I was pleasantly surprised that this game is complex enough to keep adults engaged but also really fun for our son (who likes to battle the mobs). There are a number of different strategies to try to earn points. I can see our family returning to play this game fairly often. My one complaint is that the game components take up a lot of space and I wish there was a game board with indentations to hold the 4x4 array of tiles. We may just make a game board ourselves. Overall, this was a good buy!

This game has turned out to be fantastic for our family. It was a birthday gift for our 8 year old son who loves Minecraft. Admittedly, it is more complex than most games out there today, but it’s worth learning to play. Definitely a quality game, and after one practice round and thorough read through of the rules, we all got the hang of it and now it’s a game night staple. My husband and I both enjoy the strategy of the game; our 8 year old is catching on to that layer of complexity, but even our 5 year old is still able to play along and fully comprehend the rules. He may not get the strategy part yet, but he’s able to play his turns independently and has fun. The designers did a really great job creating gameplay that closely mimics the video game itself.We ended up getting the Farmer’s Market expansion pack and it’s even more enjoyable.Highly recommend to those who are Minecraft fans, or those who love strategy games.

Played with my kids (ages 7,10 and 13) and everyone loved it! Looks complicated but was easy to understand and engaging enough for all ages to enjoy. Will definitely be looking for expansions to this game as my kids get older.

I should start by disclosing that my family all love Minecraft and that likely played a major role in our enjoyment of this game. But it does a great job of respecting the IP.The game has a fair amount of RNG to it which I am a big fan of because it helps level the playing field and gives my 6 year old daughter a chance when playing against mom and dad. That said there is a lot of strategy and thinking that comes across in the scoring system. There are 3 rounds of scoring and they all depend on having structures on your board. Each structure has a biome, material and type associated to it. Round 1 your score is based on connected biome structures, round 2 material, round 3 type. So as you play you are thinking about how to score as many points in the current round but also thinking ahead to subsequent rounds. For my 6 year old she does not have to have the structures connected to score points as suggested in the rule book.If I had one complaint about the game it is that there is no mechanic for mining iron, diamond, gold, red stone etc. and you gain weapons by picking them up rather than crafting them.This is a great game regardless of the Minecraft IP but if you like Minecraft this is a must have. I sincerely hope the publisher considers releasing an expansion for this game as there is a lot they could do with it.

We bought this as a gift for our kiddo, and it didn’t disappoint! As other reviewers have mentioned, the directions are lengthy, but I personally appreciate detailed directions. The game itself is fun, and definitely requires you to think strategically. In short, my Minecraft-obsessed 8 year old loves this game, and it is a fun way to spend time together as a family!