Bohnanza

Let’s take a minute to revel in this ordinary yet extraordinary game of bean farming for 2-7 players. Although Bohnanza is fairly old, it’s still got quite a bit of a cult following. Unlike other games of the past, I don’t believe it has lost any sparkle or luster over the years.

Bohnanza was first published in English in 1997 by Rio Grande Games. In this game, each player takes a stab at being a bean farmer cultivating colorful bean cards. Plant fields, harvest, win coins, and be the cream of the crop to win the game. This game is fun with groups or with just two.

Game Concepts

The entire concept of “trading beans” for fun sounds a bit ludicrous on the surface, but it’s the theme of this game that makes it magical. The different depicted bean cards have comical colorful animation which adds to the whimsy during play.

Aspects Of Luck

This game has just enough luck to keep you invested in the game. You could pull up cards that will help you, but they could also help you leverage cards to get a fuller bean field in the future.

Screwage Factor Goes Up

This game includes extensive player interaction through trading and deal-making.

A phrase that I often use in Bohnanza is, “Would you remember me in the future if I gave you this bean now?” Although promises can be made in Bohnanza as far as trading beans goes nobody has to adhere to those promises in future trades. This lends itself to betrayal later and a ton of screwage to happen during play. This game brings out the meaning of “hurt feelings.” If someone promised you a Chili Bean for instance, but sees a better deal later down the line and gives that promised Chili Bean to another player, it can cause a lot of tension at the table. It’s this player interaction that I truly love about the game.

Unique Aspects Of Gameplay

There is one unique aspect of gameplay in Bohnanza that I have not seen in other games. This feature of the game includes a rule in which you may not manipulate the order of cards in your hand. You must play cards in the order they are drawn from the deck. This component in the game forces you to either trade more fiercely to get rid of the cards or be stuck harvesting a crop that would have been more lucrative down the line.

This part of the game adds sprinkles of tension which I love.

Debates Emmerge

With so much player interaction going on it’s no surprise that debates can occur at the table. Two–or even three- people can want the same bean at one time. This prompts a bidding war (different people offering you different sets of beans for the card they want). This part of the game can be loud and chaotic, but it’s also super fun at the same time.

Sigh . . . there’s just something about bean farming that is both calming and exciting all at once. So start farming today!

So even if you’re not into beans, I encourage you to try out Bohnanza: the bean farming game. Bohnanza has got all you would want in a game including; player interaction, beans, debates, false promises, colorful cards, and luck. This game is great for any party night and I would encourage everyone to give it a go! Thanks for reading today’s article, and please comment below on whether or not you’ve played Bohnanza in the past and what you like or dislike about the game.