Panda pandemonium: Takenoko Collector’s Edition

So I’m a total sucker for all things cute … and giant pandas are no exception. Takenoko itself is a solid medium-heavy game that I’m always down to play, so when I saw an online deal on the Takenoko Collector’s Edition last year, I quickly jumped on that cuddly bad boy. It quite possibly is the largest chunk of change I’ve spent on one. single. board. game. And honestly, I have no regrets …

I’m not one of those board gamers who “collects” games. When I purchase a board game, it’s meant to be played. My close friends love, love, love this game, and it makes me so happy to see it get on table every single time I host a game night with them. Everything about the collector’s edition is so frakkin’ awesome!

The collector’s edition comes in this gorgeous wooden box that has the name etched into the top. The box itself comes in a sleeve that depicts artwork from the board game. Inside, the components are snugly held together in layers of sturdy foam core. Altogether, it weighs about 15 pounds.

Here you can see the side by side comparisons of the figurines from the collector’s edition to the base game. How ADORABLE is that panda?!? My one friend seriously just about lost her mind when we played this game for the first time. She’s a huge fan of all things panda. The craftsmanship of the farmer is also well done. There’s so much detail with his clothing and face!

The cards in the collector’s edition are about the size of regular playing cards, compared with the little ones in the base game. And the plot size is also much larger, naturally. It’s quite a sight to see all the plots laid out when you’re playing the game. The only thing that’s noticeable is that the coloring isn’t as vibrant in the collector’s edition than in the regular game, but that’s really minor in the grand scheme of things.

After the giant panda, the next best thing about the collector’s edition is the bamboo. So much giant bamboo! These wooden pieces are so cool to play with, and stacking them is so much fun! You literally create a bamboo jungle on your table. Lastly, who doesn’t love giant dice? It’s seriously so fun to roll the weather cube.

When the farmer, panda and bamboo are all sitting on one space, it can get quite crowded, versus when they’re altogether in the regular game. Here’s what the game looks like sprawled out on a table.

I’m hoping that one day someone will create the Takenoko: Chibis Collector’s Edition. But for now, this collector’s edition is getting lots of game time. If you haven’t played Takenoko, I’d suggest you go out and try it! The regular game is plenty cute, but this collector’s edition amps up the cuteness to a whole new level. It’s definitely worth every penny in my opinion!