Primi Giganti
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FroGames — Moments You'll Remember
There's the moment when you hold all the good cards in your hand. And the moment when you realize the good cards are meant to be on the table. The game is decided between these two moments.
WHAT IT'S ABOUT
The race to build the most spectacular prehistoric exhibition
First Giants is designed by Matthew Dunstan and Brett J. Gilbert, a British duo known for well-balanced family games (Raids, Akrotiri, Welcome to the Moon). The illustrations by Maud Chalmel and Jessica Cognard bring dinosaurs, flying reptiles, and mammoths to the table in a naturalistic style reminiscent of grand museum dioramas.
At the table, each player recruits cards representing prehistoric animals of various sizes. Each card has a useful effect as long as you hold it in your hand: but you only score points when you display it in the museum, losing its power. The game is all about this: build a strong engine or rush for points? Timing is key, and every turn puts it to the test.
What they say abroad
An elegant dilemma in 30 minutes: use cards to win or to play better?
— FroGames
Dunstan and Gilbert know how to balance complexity and immediacy: First Giants is no exception.
— FroGames
First Giants
FrogScore · FroGames editorial rating · based on rules, international reviews and play sessionsThe fossils in your museum
Four card types that change the game
Giant Dinosaurs
XL-sized cards that are worth many points but require combinations to be displayed. As long as you hold them, they give you access to rare resources.
Flying Reptiles
Fast cards that generate amber when you recruit them. Displaying them immediately is tempting, but holding them allows you to draw more cards in subsequent turns.
Mammoths and Megafauna
Medium-sized cards with balanced effects. They are the backbone of the engine: not explosive, but reliable.
Amber and Resources
The resources you accumulate allow you to display larger fossils. Spending them at the right time is the difference between an engine and victory.
Recommended Sleeves 65 cards in 1 size ▼
If you play often, we recommend protecting your cards with clear sleeves to make them last longer.
| Size | Quantity |
|---|---|
| 65 × 100 mm | 65 |
| Total cards | 65 |
At the end of the game, you'll look at the cards left in your hand and think: 'if only I had played them one turn earlier'. It always happens.
A game in five moments
What happens at the table
Not the rules. The experience.
The first drafting round
Everyone looks at the cards on the table, calculating possible combos. Someone takes a big card immediately, someone else starts building their engine. No one displays yet: it's too early, and the cards in hand are too useful.
The first fossils displayed
Someone displays the first small dinosaur, just to start scoring points. The others continue collecting. The tension rises: who chose the right strategy? No one knows yet, but doubts begin to creep in.
The strong card dilemma
You have three cards in hand that give you amber every turn. But on the table, there's a mammoth worth 8 points if you display it now. Keep them or play them? You look at the other players' scores and decide. Often, you choose wrong.
The final display
Last round. Everyone displays what they've been holding onto. The table fills with giant fossils, combos are revealed, someone had a plan no one saw. The score changes three times in five minutes.
The final count
The winner is the one who balanced engine and points. Those who held too many cards lose, as do those who displayed too early. The difference is always a few points, and everyone thinks about what they should have done differently.
How to play
The flow of each round
First Giants is played in very quick turns: you draft a card, decide whether to keep it or display it, and pass the hand to the others.
Choose a card from those available on the table. You see what others are taking, adapting your strategy in real time.
If you keep the card in hand, you activate its effect (amber, points, drawing cards). If you display it in the museum, you score victory points but lose the effect forever.
Accumulated amber allows you to display larger fossils. Spend it now or save it for later? Each turn brings the question back into play.
When all cards have been taken, a new set is revealed. The game continues until the deck runs out.
Why it's different from others
Six mechanics that make a difference
Continuous engine-vs-points dilemma
It's not a classic engine builder: the cards that make you win are the same ones that make you play well. You have to choose when to sacrifice the engine to race towards victory. Each turn challenges your previous choice.
Open and reactive drafting
You don't draw randomly: you see the available cards, calculate possible combos, and choose based on what others are doing. Drafting is quick but not trivial, and rewards those who can read the table.
Set collection with variable sizes
Fossils come in different sizes, and large ones require more resources to display. It's not enough to collect: you need to be able to afford them. Amber management is tight but never punishing.
A clean 30 minutes, zero downtime
The game never drags. Very fast turns, almost zero downtime, tight ending. Perfect as a clever filler or as a second game of the evening without feeling heavy.
Combos visible but not obvious
Card effects are clear and synergies are immediately understood. But building the right combo at the right time is difficult: the cards you want don't always appear when needed, and other players see them before you do.
True scalability from 2 to 5 players
The game works at all player counts. With 2 players, it's more tactical and controlled; with 5, it's more chaotic and competitive. The duration always remains 30 minutes, and the balance holds.
How it ends
How to win and how to lose
First Giants ends when the deck runs out. The player who has accumulated the most victory points by displaying fossils in the museum wins.
Victory
- You balanced engine and points: you built enough resources to display large fossils at the right time.
- You read the drafting better than others: you took key cards before others saw them.
- You closed the game with the most efficient combos: every card displayed was worth the maximum possible for its cost.
Defeat
- You held too many cards in hand: perfect engine, but too few points displayed when the deck ran out.
- You displayed too early: you scored points quickly but didn't have the resources to play large fossils.
- You ignored the drafting: you built your strategy without looking at what others were doing, and they took the cards you needed.
First Giants is a family game that keeps the tension high for all 30 minutes. Simple to explain, difficult to master, and perfect for those looking for a filler with substance.
Frequently asked questions
First Giants FAQ
Is it suitable as a first game for someone who has never played set collection?
Yes, but with a caveat. First Giants explains set collection immediately, and the engine-vs-points dilemma is clear from the first turn. However, it's not a game to be underestimated: those who approach it thinking it's a light filler often lose their first game. Perfect as a gateway to the genre, less so as an absolute first experience.
How much does the luck factor matter in drafting?
Little. Drafting is open, so you see all available cards before choosing. Luck lies in the order cards come out of the deck, but it rarely decides the game: those who can adapt to the cards that come out win, even if their initial plan changes.
Does it work well with 2 players or do you need a group?
It works great with 2 players. With two, the game is more tactical and less chaotic: you have more control over drafting, combos are more predictable, and timing becomes even more important. With 4-5 players, it's more competitive and unpredictable. Both experiences are engaging.
How long does it really last? Are 30 minutes realistic?
Yes, a clean 30 minutes. The game never drags: turns are very fast, drafting is quick, and the deck runs out exactly when it should. First game with explanation: 45 minutes. From the second game onwards: always 30 minutes, at any player count.
Is the edition available in English?
Yes, this is the Italian edition published by Asmodee. Cards, rulebook, and all components are translated. Language dependence is medium: fossil names and some effects require reading, but after a couple of games, you'll memorize the main cards.
First Giants is a card game for 2-5 players aged 10 and up, with games lasting 30 minutes. Designed by Matthew Dunstan and Brett J. Gilbert, published by Asmodee for the Italian market. It uses set collection and open drafting mechanics to create a continuous dilemma between building an engine and scoring points. Prehistoric theme with dinosaurs, flying reptiles, and mammoths. Illustrations by Maud Chalmel and Jessica Cognard. Ideal as a family game with tactical depth, perfect as a clever filler or second game of the evening. Available on FroGames.it.
Primi Giganti
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