‘Kavango’ Board Game Review
There are games that wear their themes lightly, and there are games that live and breathe their subject matter. Kavango is firmly in the latter camp—a game that doesn’t just use conservation as a backdrop, but builds every mechanism, every decision, and every moment of tension around the realities of protecting nature in southern Africa. Designed by Matt Brown and Zara Reid, and published by Mazaza Games, Kavango is a tableau-building, card-drafting game for one to five players that manages to be both accessible and deeply strategic, all while delivering a message that feels urgent and authentic.
From the moment you open the box, it’s clear that Kavango is a labour of love. The production values are immediately striking: the box is large, sturdy and eco-friendly, adorned with bold, evocative artwork that hints at the biodiversity within. Inside, you’ll find a wealth of components – double-layered landscape and protection boards for each player, a main board for shared resources and research goals, and a staggering 160 unique species cards, each illustrated with care and attention to detail.
There are also 45 research cards, 10 conservation expert cards, and a host of wooden tokens and cubes, all of which feel satisfyingly tactile in play. The absence of plastic is a deliberate choice, in keeping with the game’s conservation ethos, and even the insert and card trays have been thoughtfully designed to keep everything organised, though the box itself is undeniably a table hog and may test your shelf space.
The main board is placed centrally, with banks of coloured cubes (representing money and protection investments) and card trays alongside. Each player also takes an “animeeple” and completion tokens in their chosen colour, and places their animeeple on the score tracker. The game supports up to five players, and while it scales well across all counts, it’s at its best with three or four, where the interplay of drafting and competition for research goals is at its most dynamic, but the game length doesn’t overrun.
Gameplay unfolds over three rounds, each consisting of ten turns. At its core, Kavango is a card-drafting and tableau-building game, but there’s a lot more going on beneath the surface. Each round begins with players being dealt a hand of cards – these include animals, producers (plants and other food sources), and action cards. On your turn, you’ll select a card to play, add it to your reserve or sanctuary, and then pass the remaining cards to the next player. This “pick and pass” mechanism is familiar from games like 7 Wonders, but Kavango adds its own twist: the cards you draft must be carefully balanced against your available resources, protection levels, and the ever-present threat of poaching and climate change.
The heart of the game lies in building a thriving, balanced ecosystem. To play an animal card, you must first satisfy its food requirements – perhaps a grass and a fish, or two trees and a small mammal. Some animals are predators, requiring you to have prey species already in your reserve, while others are keystone species that unlock powerful bonuses. On one side of your board is a “holding pen” (the sanctuary), where you can store up to three cards that you can’t yet play but are working towards. As soon as you meet the requirements for one of these cards, it moves over to your main reserve, scoring points and often triggering additional effects.
But Kavanga is not just about collecting animals. Each card also has protection requirements – habitat, poaching, or climate – that must be met before it can be played. Habitat and poaching protections are managed individually on your player board, while climate protection is a shared track on the main board, encouraging a degree of cooperation even as you compete for the highest score. Money is tight, and you’ll need to invest wisely in protection each turn, balancing your own needs against the broader health of the ecosystem. The tension between personal ambition and collective responsibility is palpable, and it’s here that Kavango truly shines.
Scoring in Kavango is satisfyingly layered. You’ll earn points for each animal you successfully introduce to your reserve, with bonuses for completing research objectives and contributing to climate protection. There are also conservation awards up for grabs, rewarding players who manage to build the most diverse and resilient ecosystems. Each player has a hidden goal card, adding a dash of asymmetry and encouraging different strategies from game to game. The rules are straightforward, but the strategy is anything but – every decision feels meaningful, and the sheer variety of cards ensures enormous replayability.
One of the most impressive aspects of Kavango is the way it integrates its theme. Every mechanism is rooted in real-world conservation challenges, from the scarcity of resources to the need for balanced ecosystems and the ever-present threat of poaching and climate change. The designers’ backgrounds—Matt as the designer and illustrator, Zara as a conservation expert, shine through in every detail. Their lived experience in Botswana, working on combating the illegal wildlife trade, informs the game’s mechanics and narrative, lending it an authenticity that’s rare in the hobby.
The game is also remarkably flexible. It plays well at all counts, with solo rules that offer a satisfying challenge and a brisk pace that keeps downtime to a minimum. Simultaneous play means that even with five players, the game rarely drags, and the constant passing of hands ensures that you’re always engaged, always adapting to new opportunities and threats. The game length is reasonable – about an hour for experienced groups, a little longer for newcomers – and the learning curve, while present, is manageable thanks to a well-written rulebook and clear iconography.
That said, Kavango is not without its flaws. The box is probably a bit too large, and the card trays, while elegant, can be a little fiddly – earlier (or perhaps Kickstarted) versions have a better insert than the one my copy came with. The game is also a table hog, with large player boards and multiple shared resources that demand a fair amount of space. Some players may find the depth daunting, especially in the later rounds when the puzzle becomes more complex and the stakes higher. And while the theme is integrated beautifully, it may not appeal to those looking for a lighter, more abstract experience.
There is one issue that I also felt I needed to house rule, which relates to research goals. These are drawn before each round and can be completed throughout the round. The issue here is that, unlike in games like Wingspan, research goals pop up randomly at the start of a round and it’s entirely possible that one player might already (and immediately) meet the criteria to fulfil them. This can be infuriating for players who don’t benefit, and does unbalance the game. To address it, I now deal out the research goals for each round in advance, enabling everyone to see them.
In the main, these are minor quibbles in what is otherwise a superb package, with the one exception being that of the research goals. The component quality is excellent – the cards are sturdy and attractive, most boards are double-layered to prevent accidental nudges, and the artwork is both beautiful and functional. The game’s eco-friendly production is more than just a marketing gimmick; it’s a core part of the experience, and it’s clear that every decision has been made with care and consideration.
Replayability is another of Kavango’s strengths. With 160 unique species cards, 45 research cards, and a host of hidden goals and conservation awards, no two games ever feel the same. The drafting mechanism ensures that you’re always adapting to new situations, and the interplay of personal and shared objectives keeps things fresh and engaging. The game rewards both tactical flexibility and long-term planning, and there’s a real sense of satisfaction in building a thriving, balanced reserve over the course of three rounds.
Perhaps most importantly, Kavango succeeds in its mission to educate and inspire. The game doesn’t just simulate conservation, it encourages players to think deeply about the challenges and trade-offs involved, to appreciate the complexity of real-world ecosystems, and to recognise the importance of collective action. It’s a game that challenges, delights, and educates in equal measure – a rare achievement, and one that deserves a place on any serious gamer’s shelf.
In conclusion, Kavango is a triumph of design and execution; a game that combines accessible mechanics with deep strategy, beautiful production with authentic theme, and personal ambition with collective responsibility. It’s a game that rewards planning, adapts to different player counts, and looks fantastic on the table. Most of all, it’s a game with heart, created by people who care deeply about their subject matter and want to share that passion with the world. If you’re looking for a game that offers both challenge and meaning, Kavango is an experience not to be missed.
