Neck of the Woods is the most fun you can have in the jungle without ever leaving your living room. In this game from Fat Brain Toy Co., players try to build giraffes as high as they can, but there’s a catch: the giraffe’s neck has to be built with different shaped blocks that aren’t always sturdy. One wrong move and your giraffe could fall to the jungle floor, so be careful!
Neck of the Woods challenges players to build their giraffe’s neck high enough to reach three levels on the tree in order to gobble up lots of leaves, each of which has a secret point value hidden on its underside.
Each player starts with a giraffe head and body, but the cute little foam creature is missing its iconic neck. Players take turns rolling the die, which features pictures of the different foam building blocks on each side. The player then has to use that block to build up the giraffe’s neck.
There are six different varieties of neck pieces, ranging in size and shape. Some make for a solid base, while others will make a very wobbly start to your giraffe neck depending on how you position it. The tricky part is there’s a decision to make: do you want a sturdy foundation, or do you want to reach the top as fast as possible?
When a player’s giraffe reaches one of the levels of the tree, he or she can take one of the leaves. Or, they can be bold and wait another turn to see if the next roll will bring his or her giraffe to a higher level.
Along the way, opponents may find themselves neck and neck with one another as they race to the top. If a giraffe topples over (which is bound to happen!), that player has to start over. Between giraffes that look like the Leaning Tower of Pisa, and the imminent threat of projectile foam blocks flying around, Neck of the Woods is filled with laughs.
Once there are no leaves left, the players add up the point values on their leaves and the player with the highest score wins. Forget lions: Neck of the Woods makes giraffes the new kings of the jungle.
