Hi. I wrote down some tips in case it helps anyone, like it would have helped me a while ago. The aim was for the tips to be succint and easy to read. They are also ordered by my perceived importance of them. They are mostly relevant for 1v1, same-map, arena games. Enjoy and let me know what you think.
1. Conservation Projects (CP) are how you get big points. The 3 base CP are one way to do it, but if you find no icons, be on the lookout for releases/animals to release.
- It's a good idea to keep a release or releasable-animal in your hand in case its pair shows up.
- A wolf, secretary bird, white stork, bison, or any iconic animal should be a top priority release.
- When you release, you also get the enclosure back. Plan for that.
- Be careful not to play a handy release for your opponent.
2. Always track your opponent. Assume they will do the best action for themselves, and the most inconveniencing for you. Always. Every turn.
- You don't know their cards, but you know what they snapped and everything else, which is plenty.
- Punish them with well-timed breaks (when they have low income/unused money, cards over the limit, unused workers). And expect to be punished.
3. Learn the pace of the game. Cheap animals -> Medium animals -> Expensive animals.
- Run away from small animal zoo like it's the plague. Small animals won't net you big points and your opponent will out-pace you.
- Your goal for any break (in any order): Exhaust your money on animal(s). Draw your next animal(s). Build for animals and if you can, for income. Play association once, maybe twice. Play a good synergy sponsor or break.
- The most efficiently you do this, the faster you run over your opponent.
- Sponsors (in general), extra cards, extra builds, are all optional depending on what your opponent is doing.
- If your optional actions are better than your opponents, do them. If not, break and repeat. If your opponent is playing many good end-game sponsors, it's because you let them.
- Remembver: The biggest enemy of good is great. Don't try to optimise everything because you won't have the time. Play good animals/break/repeat.
4. Don't do anything without a good plan, but adapt your plans every time a new card is revealed. Give up easily on your current plans if a new plan is better.
- Watch the river religiously. Snap cards from your opponent and use them yourself (if you can).
- If you draw cards randomly (without immediate sunbathing) you automatically lose 100 elo. It is known.
5. Income is king. Keep yours ahead of your opponent, or keep it in line with what animals you want to play.
- You don't need 4/5 kiosks. You only need 1-2 well-placed ones.
6. Plan the start of your game correctly. If you're not the first to take a Uni/Partner-zoo, expect to lose it.
- You can keep 4 cards at the start, but expect to snap one from the river, be it either animal, sponsor, or release.
7. If you take the worker from your 1st CP, you will have to use it. Expect your opponent to rush breaks and punish you.
- Snapping/5-Income are almost always better 1st CP choices.
- People usually underestimate how quickly they can get to 8 Reputation for the extra worker.
8. X-tokens are a must-have for snapping/breaking/association. Consider X-ing actions throughout the game.
9. Support America/Asia/Africa/Species/Continents projects at 2 icons or at 5 icons, because at 4 icons they only give 3CP.
- Support the rest projects at either 2 early, or at 4 or 5 later. If no 5th icon is in sight, support at 4 and move on.
10. Be on the lookout for point bomb animals (tigers, panda, elephants, galapagos tortoise, dugong), for release animals (mentioned above) and for Eagles, Rhinos, sun-bear. Deny for opponent. Keep for a rainy day.
11. Alwasy plan to use the ability of the animals you play (Hunter, Perception, Sunbathing, Pouch, Jumping, etc). Points/Money add up little by little.
12. Asia is the best partner when unsure what to take. Being able to play a top-deck sun bear/panda will win you a game.
13. Expect to be pilfered. If your opponent has a 2-size+america/africa partner (or size-3+water+asia), and are waiting for you to get ahead in appeal, expect to be pilfered. Same goes with constriction/venom. But pilfering can be deadly.
14. Being the first player is a big advantage and there's nothing to do about it.
15. When you play arena, the expel button is part of the game. If you run out of time, expect to be expelled immediately, even if you ask nicely for extra time. Arena = competitive.
1. Conservation Projects (CP) are how you get big points. The 3 base CP are one way to do it, but if you find no icons, be on the lookout for releases/animals to release.
- It's a good idea to keep a release or releasable-animal in your hand in case its pair shows up.
- A wolf, secretary bird, white stork, bison, or any iconic animal should be a top priority release.
- When you release, you also get the enclosure back. Plan for that.
- Be careful not to play a handy release for your opponent.
2. Always track your opponent. Assume they will do the best action for themselves, and the most inconveniencing for you. Always. Every turn.
- You don't know their cards, but you know what they snapped and everything else, which is plenty.
- Punish them with well-timed breaks (when they have low income/unused money, cards over the limit, unused workers). And expect to be punished.
3. Learn the pace of the game. Cheap animals -> Medium animals -> Expensive animals.
- Run away from small animal zoo like it's the plague. Small animals won't net you big points and your opponent will out-pace you.
- Your goal for any break (in any order): Exhaust your money on animal(s). Draw your next animal(s). Build for animals and if you can, for income. Play association once, maybe twice. Play a good synergy sponsor or break.
- The most efficiently you do this, the faster you run over your opponent.
- Sponsors (in general), extra cards, extra builds, are all optional depending on what your opponent is doing.
- If your optional actions are better than your opponents, do them. If not, break and repeat. If your opponent is playing many good end-game sponsors, it's because you let them.
- Remembver: The biggest enemy of good is great. Don't try to optimise everything because you won't have the time. Play good animals/break/repeat.
4. Don't do anything without a good plan, but adapt your plans every time a new card is revealed. Give up easily on your current plans if a new plan is better.
- Watch the river religiously. Snap cards from your opponent and use them yourself (if you can).
- If you draw cards randomly (without immediate sunbathing) you automatically lose 100 elo. It is known.
5. Income is king. Keep yours ahead of your opponent, or keep it in line with what animals you want to play.
- You don't need 4/5 kiosks. You only need 1-2 well-placed ones.
6. Plan the start of your game correctly. If you're not the first to take a Uni/Partner-zoo, expect to lose it.
- You can keep 4 cards at the start, but expect to snap one from the river, be it either animal, sponsor, or release.
7. If you take the worker from your 1st CP, you will have to use it. Expect your opponent to rush breaks and punish you.
- Snapping/5-Income are almost always better 1st CP choices.
- People usually underestimate how quickly they can get to 8 Reputation for the extra worker.
8. X-tokens are a must-have for snapping/breaking/association. Consider X-ing actions throughout the game.
9. Support America/Asia/Africa/Species/Continents projects at 2 icons or at 5 icons, because at 4 icons they only give 3CP.
- Support the rest projects at either 2 early, or at 4 or 5 later. If no 5th icon is in sight, support at 4 and move on.
10. Be on the lookout for point bomb animals (tigers, panda, elephants, galapagos tortoise, dugong), for release animals (mentioned above) and for Eagles, Rhinos, sun-bear. Deny for opponent. Keep for a rainy day.
11. Alwasy plan to use the ability of the animals you play (Hunter, Perception, Sunbathing, Pouch, Jumping, etc). Points/Money add up little by little.
12. Asia is the best partner when unsure what to take. Being able to play a top-deck sun bear/panda will win you a game.
13. Expect to be pilfered. If your opponent has a 2-size+america/africa partner (or size-3+water+asia), and are waiting for you to get ahead in appeal, expect to be pilfered. Same goes with constriction/venom. But pilfering can be deadly.
14. Being the first player is a big advantage and there's nothing to do about it.
15. When you play arena, the expel button is part of the game. If you run out of time, expect to be expelled immediately, even if you ask nicely for extra time. Arena = competitive.
hopefully we can find a real expert somewhere..