ByeO Barelands: Mangrove & Coastal Edition is a Singapore-made strategy card game that turns real native wildlife into an ecological battleground of wit and survival. The story begins after Singapore s decades of habitat loss — players step into the role of ecosystem architects, rebuilding food chains and defending them from rival invasions. Each of the hundred-plus cards represents a real species from Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, drawn and designed with traits reflecting genuine ecological behavior — pollination, seed dispersal, migration, predation, and even invasive competition. Gameplay revolves around balancing stability and diversity. Each player manages an ecosystem built from cards spanning five tiers of life — from plants and insects to apex predators. On each turn, players can establish species in their own food chain, invade rivals with non-native species, exchange cards, or refresh their hand. Food chains must follow valid predator-prey logic: diet, habitat, and power levels must align. Mismanage your web and species become overwhelmed or starving, collapsing your chain; plan well and you ll create resilient ecological networks that withstand sabotage. The goal is ecological mastery: the first player to build a full food chain from Tier 1 to Tier 5 while achieving 50 Total Score wins. Victory demands both biodiversity (scoring breadth) and stability (chain depth). Power Cards add a chaotic twist — sudden storms, human interference, or conservation boosts — mirroring the unpredictability of nature. Beneath its competitive energy, the game is an educational ode to Singapore s wild spaces. It invites families, students, and gamers to not just play with the creatures of Sungei Buloh but to meet them in real life, bridging strategy with stewardship — a reminder that every mangrove, bird, and crab is part of a story we can still help rebuild. —description from the designer

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