Kodama Forest (2020) Board Game
Kodama Forest is a tile-placement board game released in 2020, designed by Kwanchai Moriya and published by Indie Boards & Cards. The game is set in a magical forest where players compete to create the most beautiful forest for their Kodama spirit.
## Game Components of Kodama Forest
– Player boards (each player has two boards, one to their left and one to their right)
– Forest tiles with various features (flowers, bamboo patches, ponds, and trees)
– Bonus tokens (pandas, frogs, butterflies)
– Frames for the player boards
– Kodama spaces (blue squares on the boards)
## How To Setup Kodama Forest
Players take two paper gameboards and place them between the players on either side of themselves. Each player then draws three forest tiles from the bag to start the game. Three pools of tokens for pandas, frogs, and butterflies are created and placed in the center of the table. Frames are built around each player board, although these can be optional due to some players finding them irritating and ill-fitting.
## Gameplay Mechanics and Game Objective
– **Tile Placement**: Players place forest tiles on their boards, one tile on the board to their left and one on the board to their right, while discussing with their neighbors about the placement.
– **Feature Completion**: Completing a flower field, bamboo patch, or pond earns a corresponding bonus token (butterfly, panda, or frog).
– **Scoring**: The game ends when any player board no longer has any “5” or “10” spaces visible. Players score points based on uncovered spaces on their two boards (plain dirt spaces are 1 point, “5” spaces are 5 points, and “10” spaces are 10 points). The player with the lowest score wins[5′.
## Player Experience
Kodama Forest requires a mix of cooperation and competition. Players need to work with their neighbors to cover as much space as possible while avoiding the Kodama spaces. However, the game has received mixed reviews, with some finding it engaging and easy to learn, while others criticize it for being too simple, dull, and lacking in challenge, especially for players over the age of 8.
### Pros
– **Easy to Learn**: The game has simple rules and is easy to understand.
– **Cooperative-Competitive**: It requires both cooperation with neighbors and competitive strategy.
– **Family-Friendly**: Suitable for younger gamers and can be adapted for kids by tweaking the rules.
### Cons
– **Simple and Dull**: Some players find the gameplay too straightforward and boring.
– **Cheap Components**: Criticized for the quality of the player boards and frames.
– **Lack of Challenge**: Players over 8 may find filling the board too easy and unchallenging.
## Personal Thoughts on Kodama Forest
Kodama Forest is a game that will appeal to those who enjoy light, family-friendly games with a cooperative element. However, it may not be the best fit for experienced gamers or those seeking a more complex and challenging experience. The game’s artwork is well-done, with happy cartoonish Kodama figures, which can add to its appeal for younger players or those who enjoy thematic games.
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