We LOVE dragon games. My boys are drawn to dragons and magic and fantasy games faster than any other kind. They love Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings, so it’s no surprise…and Incubation definitely has a very cool Tolkien/Hagrid feel since the object of the game is to hatch and raise dragons!
The graphics in this game are amazing, so bright and colorful, the dragons are superbly illustrated and drawn, and the circular game board is amazing!
The Dragon Egg cards (show which dragon is hatching, its cost in fire/water tokens, and its value in victory points) are divided evenly into three piles and placed in the spaces indicated on the Market (board). The remaining spaces are filled with Objective cards (provide ways to earn additional victory points at the end of the game if the requirements are met).
Before beginning the game, spin the treasure spinner and put the pictured resource in each corresponding slot (one coin, one water token, and one fire token). The rest of the coins and resources get placed off to the side.
On a turn, players 1. Roll the Dice and 2. Perform the Actions on the Dice. Possible actions include:
- turn the market spinner and add resources to the board
- take treasure from the board
- take coins
- take resources
- choose dragon egg cards
Action #3 is hatching and selling dragon egg cards. Once you earn the required resources (fire and water tokens), the egg hatches. Pay the resources to the general supply, flip the card to its Dragon side, and collect treasure from one of the Market Treasure spots on the board of the same color as the dragon you just hatched.
There are regular Dragon Egg cards and also HYBRID Eggs, a cross of two different colors. Collect Market Treasure for BOTH colors once hatched but these don’t help complete objective cards.
MYSTERY Eggs don’t have a color and are used as a wild card. You don’t get to collect treasure for these dragon eggs.
The last action on a single turn is to resolve objective cards, if possible by claiming it from the Market and placing it in front of you. Objective cards are worth points at the end of the game.
The game ends when 2 Dragon Egg decks are gone or there are no more Objective cards. The player with the most points wins the game!
Incubation is an excellent science game and provides some interesting discussion and research possibilities. Look deeper into eggs of all kinds, how they are fertilized and how they hatch, which animals lay eggs, the actual structure of eggs that makes them perfect incubators, etc. Watch videos of animals hatching out of eggs or hatch your own! Practice basic math skills, cooperation, strategy, and enjoy a fun theme and beautifully designed game at the same time.
Thanks to Synapses Games for sharing with us!
