The Bare Necessities
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You have two cards in hand. You play one for immediate points. The other you keep for the next round. You pass the remaining cards to the left. When your grid fills up, each new card triggers adjacent ones. And in the end, you discover that the honeypot you saved three turns ago is now worth triple.
WHAT IT IS ABOUT
A bear village that grows one card at a time
Bear Necessities is the first title by Johan Benvenuto and Gricha German for Mojito Studios, a Miami-based publisher specializing in family games with strategic twists. The illustrations are by Kerri Aitken, who gives the game a naturalistic and warm atmosphere: bears building, honeypots filling, a village taking shape card by card.
At the table, you build a tableau of cards in a 4x3 grid, simultaneously drafting with other players. Each turn, you choose one card to play (immediate activation) and one to save for the next round, then pass the rest. Placement is orthogonal: each new card triggers adjacent ones. Combos accumulate, points grow, and in the end, the player who has built the most prosperous village wins.
What they say abroad
"Build a bustling bear village through clever card drafting and placement!"
Build a bustling bear village through clever card drafting and placement!
— Mojito Studios
Bear Necessities promises a family game with a rare mechanic: simultaneous draft with reserve. The card you save today becomes your first choice tomorrow, and this opens up medium-term planning that few fillers have. We will find out with the first copy that arrives. Card updated as soon as we play it.
— FroGames
Bear Necessities
FrogScore · FroGames editorial rating · first read: based on rules and official presentation, updated with first playsThe ingredients of the village
Four card types you build and integrate
Bearfolk
The citizens of the village. They activate when you place them and trigger orthogonally adjacent cards. The more neighbors you have, the more points the network generates.
Honeypot
The honey jars. They are worth variable points based on the conditions of your tableau: the more you accumulate in strategic spots, the higher your final score.
Buildings
Constructions that modify scoring or activation rules. Some give immediate bonuses, others grow in value over time.
Natural resources
Biome cards that connect the village. Some unlock combos if played in sequence, others give points for set collection.
🎲How to PlayThe rules in four steps▼
How to Play
The flow of each round
Twelve identical rounds, no intermediate setup phase. All simultaneous.
At the start of the round, each player has a hand of cards (5 or 6, depending on the number of players). You observe the cards, evaluate the possibilities. There is no time limit, but the game is fast-paced.
Choose TWO cards: one to immediately place in your tableau (orthogonally adjacent to an already present card), one to save for the next round. The placed card activates immediately and triggers all orthogonally adjacent cards.
Pass the remaining cards in your hand to the player on your left. Receive cards from the player on your right. Combine them with the card you saved from the previous round: this is your new hand. Draft again (step 2).
When your hand is empty, draw a new hand and start over. After 12 rounds (when everyone has completed the 4x3 grid), the game ends. Points are counted: honeypot, sets, buildings. The player with the most points wins.
⏱️Your First GameThe chronicle, moment by moment▼
A game in five moments
What happens at the table
Not the rules. The experience.
The first cards on the table
Draw your initial hand. Choose the first card to place in the center of your play area and one to save. Pass the remaining cards to the player on your left. Everyone does this simultaneously. The pace is immediate, there is no downtime.
The grid takes shape
After three turns, you already have a cross of cards. Each new placement activates adjacent ones. You see the first chain trigger: you place a Bearfolk, it triggers the Honeypot to the right, which triggers the building below. Three activations in one go. The others at the table do the same. The game speeds up.
The reserve becomes tactical
Mid-game. The grid is almost full, free spaces are counted on fingers. The card you saved three turns ago is now worth double because the tableau has changed. But you have a better one in hand. Choose what to keep for later and what to place now. Timing becomes crucial.
The last space
Twelfth turn. You need to complete the 4x3 grid. You have two cards left and only one empty space. One of them is perfect, the other makes you lose points. And the reserve? Gone, you used it on turn 11. Other players close their tableau at the same instant. Scoring begins.
The final score
Honeypot, biome sets, buildings with bonuses. Each player calculates their points by reading the grid from left to right, top to bottom. The player who built the most prosperous village wins. Someone won by one card, another immediately asks for a rematch. Total duration: 35 minutes.
🐸Good to know beforehandThree honest things, from friends▼
Good to know beforehand
Three honest warnings
The draw influences more than it seems
The draft with reserve mitigates randomness, but if your first two hands are weak, you start at a disadvantage. There's no way to catch up on points if others build better combos in the first three rounds. The luck of the draw matters.
Uncertain scaling beyond 2 players
The game is designed for 2-4 players but with only one vote on BGG and no published reviews, we don't know if it works well with 3 or 4. In simultaneous drafts, the number of players changes the quantity of cards circulating and the predictability of choices.
Lengthy final score calculation
At the end, you have to sum honeypots, biome sets, and buildings with varying conditions. Calculation can take 5-10 minutes if tableaus are complex. It's not a filler game of exactly 20 minutes: count 35-45 minutes total, including scoring.
🏆Victory and defeatWhat the ending rewards▼
How it ends
How to win
After 12 rounds, everyone has completed their 4x3 grid. Points are counted. The player with the most points wins.
Victory conditions
- Honeypots are worth variable points based on your tableau (number of adjacent Bearfolk, connected biomes, active buildings)
- Set collection of biome or resource cards: more cards of the same type, more bonus points
- Buildings with special conditions (e.g., 'worth 3 points for each Honeypot in your left column')
How you lose points
- You place a card in a suboptimal space (doesn't trigger combos, doesn't complete sets)
- You save a card in reserve that you then fail to place in time
- Other players pass you weak cards and build more efficient tableaus
Bear Necessities promises a strategic family game with a rare mechanic. We'll find out with the first copy that arrives in store.
💬Frequently Asked QuestionsQuick answers before checkout▼
Frequently Asked Questions
FAQ about Bear Necessities
Is it suitable for those who have never played a draft game?
Yes, the rulebook promises a gentle learning curve. Simultaneous drafting is faster than turn-based drafting (like 7 Wonders) and the reserve gives you time to think. First game in 15 minutes of explanation, the designers say. But with only one vote on BGG and no published reviews, we cannot confirm this.
How many rounds does a game last?
Exactly 12 rounds. Each player must complete a 4x3 grid (12 cards total). The declared duration is 30-45 minutes, including final scoring.
Does it work well with 2 players?
The game supports 2-4 players, but we have no data on the best player count. With 2 players, drafting is more predictable (you always pass cards to the same opponent), with 4, it's more chaotic. Without reviews, it's impossible to say which configuration shines most.
What mechanics does Bear Necessities use?
Closed drafting (simultaneous draft with card passing), hand management (reserve management), simultaneous action selection (simultaneous placement), tableau building (grid construction), and chain combos (orthogonal triggers). A family-strategic mix.
Is it available in Italian?
No, this edition is in English. The cards have text and icons, the rulebook is in English. No Italian translations have been published or announced.
The people behind the game
Who invented it, who designed it, who publishes it - and what else they've done.
Bear Necessities is a competitive tableau building board game for 2-4 players, lasting 30-45 minutes, recommended age 10+. Designed by Johan Benvenuto and Gricha German, illustrated by Kerri Aitken, published by Mojito Studios in 2026. The main mechanics are simultaneous draft with reserve, orthogonal placement, and chain combos: each turn you choose one card to place in your 4x3 tableau and one to save for the next round, then pass the remaining cards to the left. Cards activate and trigger adjacent ones, creating cascade effects. Honeypots, biome sets, and buildings determine the final score. English edition. Available on FroGames.it.
The Bare Necessities
Frequently Asked Questions
The answers you're looking for, no beating around the bush.
📸Do the images match the actual product?
The photos on the website often come from BoardGameGeek and are intended to give you an idea of the game. They may vary slightly from the version you receive. The content declared by the publisher is always binding.
📦Does the content of the box match what is indicated?
We always strive to provide the correct content, but minor variations are possible due to reprints or updates. The information comes directly from the publishers. If you have any questions, please contact us!
⏳How do pre-orders work?
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