Zen Garden (2020) Board Game

Zen Garden is a tile placement board game designed by Dennis Lohausen and released in in 2020. The game is published by Queen Games and is suitable for 2-4 players, with a recommended age of 8 and up. The game falls under the category of end game bonuses, pattern building, and tile placement.

Game Components of Zen Garden

Garden tiles: Representing meadows, mountains, forests, and water, each with different paths (wooden, dirt, stone) and decor elements.

Preference Boards: Five boards that set the scoring criteria for the game.

Coin markers: Used to track players’ coins.

Score markers: For tracking points.

Emperor tiles: Randomly placed on the Preference Boards to determine scoring.

Scoring board: Flips over to reveal scoring criteria at the end of the game.

First player marker: A distinctive piece to keep track of the current first player.

How To Setup Zen Garden

To set up the game, place the selection board in the center of the table and fill it with randomly drawn garden tiles. Each player starts with an empty 16-space Garden board, a score marker, and a coin marker. Choose the complexity level by deciding how many Preference Boards to use, with Board #1 always included. Randomly seed the Emperor tiles on these boards.

Gameplay Mechanics and Game Objective

Tile Selection: Players take turns selecting one tile from the selection board, paying 0, 1, or 2 coins based on its location.

Tile Placement: Tiles must be placed orthogonally adjacent to a previously placed tile on the player’s garden board.

Sliding Tiles: If a tile is placed, existing tiles can be slid as a unit within the 4×4 grid until it is fully filled.

Refreshing the Board: After all players have taken their turns, discard tiles in the free row, slide remaining tiles down, and refill the board.

Scoring: Points are awarded based on the Preference Boards, including completed walkways, decor icons, minor and major preferences, majority rules, and attention to detail.

Game Objective: The player with the most points, including coins, wins the game.

Player Experience

Playing **Zen Garden** is a delightful and strategic experience. Players act as architects building a garden to impress the Emperor, balancing the cost of tiles with the need to fulfill various scoring criteria. The game is relatively quick, lasting about 30-40 minutes, making it an excellent filler or entry-level game. The tile-laying mechanism is simple yet engaging, and the various Preference Boards add layers of complexity and replayability.

Pros

Engaging Mechanics: The tile-laying and sliding mechanism is both simple and strategic.

Replayability: Multiple Preference Boards offer varying levels of complexity and different scoring criteria.

Family-Friendly: Suitable for players aged 8 and above, making it a great family game.

Clear Rules: The rules are well-written and easy to understand.

Visual Appeal: The game components, including tiles and boards, are of high quality and visually appealing.

Cons

Initial Complexity: New players might find the multiple Preference Boards and scoring criteria slightly overwhelming.

Space Management: Managing the 4×4 grid and sliding tiles can be a bit tricky until you get the hang of it.

Personal Thoughts on Zen Garden

**Zen Garden** is an excellent choice for families, casual gamers, and those looking for a strategic yet accessible game. It offers a good balance between simplicity and complexity, making it suitable for both entry-level and mid-range gamers. The game’s theme and mechanics encourage planning, strategy, and a bit of luck, making each playthrough unique and enjoyable. If you’re looking for a game that is easy to learn but challenging to master, **Zen Garden** is a great addition to your board game collection.

We are supported by our audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission, at no extra cost for you. Learn more.