Rio Grande Games Edition
The RGG edition of Bohnanza comes in a slightly oversized box. The game contains the original Bohnanza game along with the first German expansion. These extra cards provide the ability to play with 2-7 players while the original German edition only lets you play up to 5. Additionally, it includes 2-player rules which were adapted from the Al Cabohne set. In this version, the cards look like this:
The upper corners have an icon which makes it easy to tell which card is which in your hand. The bean type is illustrated on the middle of the card and all beans of the same type have the same artwork. Under the picture is the name of the bean to make it easy to tell which is which. Also to the left or right of the bean picture, there is a number which shows how many of that bean is in the deck. This helps players judge what beans to go for and allows them the opportunity to calculate odds. At the bottom of the card is the Bean-o-meter which shows how much gold players get from harvesting fields of certain sizes.
Fan Edition
The Fan Edition is also published by Rio Grande. For this version, they scaled back the size of the deck to the original German size making this one playable by 3-5 players. There are no 2-player rules in this set, but I'm sure you could use the ones that come in the RGG version. The cards in this set look like this:
The biggest difference between these versions is the the Fan Edition has different art on every card. The icons are still present in the top corners to indicate which type of bean the card represents, but other than that, there is no way of telling. The icons are kind of small which can make them tough to differentiate. There are no names on the cards and there are also no numbers, so the only way you'll know what's going on is by the icons in the top corners.
Which version is for me?
I bought the Fan Edition without ever playing or owning the original. This was a big problem because the only identifying mark is the small icons in the corner. We really didn't know what was going on for a long time because we lacked information. If had owned the original, we probably would have been up and running much faster. The moral of the story is:
If you've never played before or plan on introducing the game to people, you definately want the Rio Grande edition. Its so much easier to differentiate the cards and the extra information is helpful, especially the bean names. I own the Fan Edition and I'm planning on getting the original because its just so much easier to play with. For new players, this is the only way to go. Also, you get the added flexibility of being able to play up to 7 players which makes this a great game for gatherings.
If you're a hardcore Bohnanza player and you want something interesting to use with a group of seasoned bean farmers, then you might want to check out the Fan Edition. The artwork is great and if you're really familiar with Bohnanza, you won't mind the lack of information on the cards because you'll probably already know.
Gameplay
Bohnanza is a game that seems to have a polarizing effect on its players. It seems like people either love it or hate it.
Simple Rules
Bohnanza would be great for non-gamers because the rules are so easy to learn. There isn't much to it. Plant cards, trade cards, plant cards, draw cards. Thats it. The game is very easy to understand. And to make it even easier, use this playmat which is one of the finest player aids available on BGG. Your new gamers will be up and running in no time.
Interaction
Bohnanza is all about player interaction. Its a negotiation game that requires players to trade in order to be successful. You can't trade and negotiate without interaction, so this is a perfect way to get people talking and conversing. Trying to trade beans is a lot more fun than most people would think. How often in your life do you try to trade a stinkbean for a waxbean? The terminology is fun and its great to be able to work your negotiation skills with other players.
Its all about the group
In my opinion, the group you play with is the most important factor in determining how good a game of Bohnanza will be. If you sit down with a group of people who are just looking to have a good time and get a few laughs, you'll have a wonderful experience. People will talk and smile. Players will cheer when they get a good deal and show mild disappointment when they don't. If you get the right group, there's few games that are more fun to play. On the opposite side of that spectrum, if you get people who don't want to talk and have fun, the game will be horrendously boring. I think this is where people get the opinion that the game is too long. Without a light-hearted vibe around the table, this game can turn into pure torture. Remember to keep it light, fast, and fun and you'll have a great experience.
Its about the experience
Just like the above paragraph, Bohnanza is not a game to be taken seriously. If you come to the game looking to perform your optimal strategy and dominate the game, you'll be miserable. You also shouldn't over analyze your turn. Play fast and furious and you'll be having fun. This game isn't about playing a flawless game, its about having fun. If you have fun and enjoy the experience, you'll all be winners and nobody will be upset about coming in last.
Education and Family Time
Bohnanza is a great game for kids as well. Children playing this should probably be at least 8, but a few younger kids may understand the idea. Through this game, kids will learn valuable lessons about negotiation and bartering. It will improve their communication skills and teach them a bit about value. I think that Bohnanza should be a game every family plays together because of this fact. Additionally, the communication in the game is great for families who may not otherwise have much chance to interact. Once you start talking, you never know what kind of conversation will come up. If more parents spent time with talking to their kids, the world would be a better place. I'm not suggesting that Bohnanza is the cure for the world's problems. Its just a great way for parents to interact with their kids.
Play Time
In my experience with the Fan Edition, a four player game took us about 45 minutes. But the time went so fast that it didn't seem like a drag at all. We were actually surprised how long it took when it was over. We were all laughing and having fun and time certainly does fly in those situations. I don't see it taking too much longer with another player, but if you were to use the RGG version and play 7, it could be a bit slow.
Replayability
Bohnanza is full of replayability. Every game will be different. The cards will come out differently, people will trade differently, and the fun and jokes will be different too. Every game of this will be a uniquely entertaining experience.
Theme
I never thought that bean trading would be fun, but it turns out that its a really funny idea. The artwork on the cards goes a long way towards making it as silly as it is, but that really adds to the atmosphere. How seriously can you take a game that has stinkbean pictures?
Compare it to...
The only negotiation game I've played is Dragon's Gold, but that negotiation works differently so I can't compare it to that.
Overall
I'll admit to being a bit aprehensive when I purchased Bohnanza. I had heard good things and bad things. Lucky for me, the game is about people interacting and having fun with the bean farming being secondary. This is a perfect game for my family and friends and its a game I can see us playing a lot. Its fun and fast and the rules are simple enough to teach anyone in a short time.
I rate Bohnanza 8/10. Its perfect for my family. I can see myself playing this game a lot and really enjoying every opportunity I get to play it. Its got everything my family likes which means they're going to request it. I'll gladly accomodate them every time they ask. This game will be situational for me so I can't rate it a 10. There are definately times that I would not suggest this and would turn it down if someone else suggested it, but that's really dependent on the group playing. With the right group this game is easily a 10/10.
In my opinion, the whole point of playing games is to interact with people and have fun. I like games with strategy and I like game that are fun. If I had to chose one, I'd choos the fun category every time. Bohnanza is the king of that category in my house and as such has quickly earned a spot in the heavy rotation of games my family likes.
Posted Tue Apr 8, 2008 3:19 pm
