Which WildCraft Do You Mean?
The name WildCraft is shared by two unrelated games. This page covers the cooperative board game, officially titled Wildcraft! An Herbal Adventure Game. The other is WildCraft: Wild Sim Online, a 3D animal simulator for phones. That game has its own tutorial and progression system, so the board game rules here do not apply to it. If you came looking for a level cap or wolf and fox quests, this page will not answer that, and the mobile game’s in-app help is the better place to check.
What the Board Game Is
Wildcraft! is a cooperative game for one to four players, aimed at children from about age four and up, with no reading required according to retailer descriptions. Players are cousins heading up a mountain to pick huckleberries for Grandma’s pie and to return before nightfall. Along the way they learn to match plants to common troubles. Because it is cooperative, everyone wins or loses together.
Components
Retail listings describe a game board, four player pieces, plant cards, trouble cards, cooperative cards and a spinner. Card counts differ between listings, so rely on your own box.
Setup
- Lay out the board and place the Plant cards, Trouble cards and Cooperative cards in draw piles.
- Each player picks a pawn and starts at Grandma’s house.
- Deal each player a starting hand of Plant cards. One rules summary says four.
How a Turn Works
On your turn, spin the spinner and move your pawn that many spaces along the path. What happens depends on where you land.
- Plant space: draw a new Plant card.
- Trouble space: draw a Trouble card describing a problem. If one of your Plant cards shows the matching icon, you can use it to solve the problem. If you do not have it, you can ask another player for help.
- Rainbow space, or a spin of 1: draw a Cooperative card, which helps players who are behind or lets players share cards.
- Moon space: these track the passing of time as the group races to get home before dark.
Some spaces, such as creeks, can send a pawn backward.
Winning and Losing
The group aims to reach the huckleberries and make it home before the night ends. If the group does not make it, the story description says Grandma comes to find them, so losing is gentle.
Is WildCraft a Safe Game?
As a children’s board game it contains small parts, so check the age guidance printed on your box. The herbal content is educational and introductory. It is not a medical guide, so do not use plant cards as health advice. Speak with a qualified professional before using any herb for a real health issue.
Tips for Playing With Kids
- Help younger players recognize the icons on their cards.
- Encourage asking for help, since cooperation is part of the design.
- Treat the game as a way to introduce plants, not as a test.
Related Reading
For other nature-themed games, see our Parks rules overview and our Planted rules guide.