Long, long ago, the Emperor of China, in a gesture of peace, offered the Emperor of Japan a Giant Panda. You have been appointed to the delicate task of caring for this politically-important Panda and tending to the Emperor's illustrious bamboo garden. Can you grow bamboo across your plantation as a mischievous panda eats wherever he can? In every game of Takenoko, the players take the role of gardeners of the Nippon emperor caring for his Giant Panda and growing a bamboo plantation. Your mission is to farm and irrigate parcels of land growing green, yellow, and pink bamboo. You must cultivate plots of land using irrigation and intelligence so that bamboo, the only food that the Panda will eat, grows in abundance. But beware of the sacred animal's uncontrollable appetite for crunchy young sprouts. Each turn, you'll see what the weather brings your way and perform two actions: getting a new plot of land, digging irrigation channels, growing bamboo, feeding the panda, or drawing an objective card. At the end of the game, whichever player has earned the most points from his objectives wins! This fun cooperative game for adults and teens is made for 2 to 4 players and is suitable for ages 8 and up. Average playtime is approximately 45 minutes.
