Game Announcement : Bohnanza for the Younger Crowd

Publisher: Amigo Spiele — September 2010

Featured at: Spiel 2010

German publisher Amigo Spiele will release Uwe Rosenberg's Bohnanza: Fun & Easy in September 2010. What's different with this version of Rosenberg's classic Bohnanza card game? Shortened game stages, special event cards, and a lower barrier to entry, according to the publisher's description. Oh, and the familiar bean types have been replaced with rocker beans, skater beans, burger-eating beans, etc. Is this one Bohnanza too many? Has Rosenberg's Bohnanza gone the way of New Coke?! (This title was previously listed as Bohnanza Youngster.)

Update, Aug. 26, 2010: Amigo has now posted the rules to Bohnanza: Fun & Easy, and while I can't vouch for the fun, the game does seem easier. Each player starts with five bean cards in hand and can plant in three bean fields in front of them. Three cards are placed face-up next to the deck, and these cards can be traded or claimed during the active player's turn. At the end of his turn, he draws three cards and adds them to the back of his hand, and he refills the face-up market to three cards. There's no restriction on what players can harvest when, and whoever has the most coins after going through the deck twice wins the game.