Canopy (2021) Board Game – Board Game Guys

Canopy is a card game designed by Tim Eisner and published by Weird City Games in in 2021. The game is set in a vibrant rainforest where players take on the role of competing animal species trying to thrive in their environment. With beautiful artwork by Vincent Dutrait, Canopy has quickly gained popularity for its unique theme and engaging gameplay.

Game Components of Canopy

Forest deck: Contains various card types including Tree Trunks, Canopies, Plants, Wildlife, Seeds, Weather, and Threats.

Wildlife deck: Used for attracting and scoring wildlife.

Seed deck: Contains “good” cards that can be drawn at the end of each season.

Tree pieces and Wildlife tokens: For building and scoring trees and wildlife.

Growth cones: Used for displaying card piles.

Tallest Tree token: Awards the player with the tallest tree each season.

Ecosystem tokens: Represent various aspects of the rainforest ecosystem.

How To Setup Canopy

To set up Canopy, start by placing the Wildlife mat centrally and shuffling the Wildlife deck, dealing three cards face-up onto the mat. Place the remaining wildlife tokens and tree pieces nearby. Next, take the forest deck, removing any cards marked for smaller player counts, and shuffle it. Deal four cards per player into a face-down Seed deck, placing the Seed deck token on top. Deal cards from the remaining deck face-down onto the growth cones, using three piles for one or two players and four piles for a four-player game. Distribute the cards such that the first pile has one card, the second has two, and the third has three in one or two-player games.

Gameplay Mechanics and Game Objective

Card Drafting: Players take turns looking at card piles and deciding whether to take the entire pile or pass, adding a card to the pile if they pass.

Set Collection: Players collect sets of plant cards, wildlife cards, and other types to score points.

Threat Management: Manage threats like fire, disease, and drought that can discard other cards.

Tree Building: Build trees using Trunk and Canopy cards, scoring points based on tree height and completeness.

Wildlife Scoring: Score points for wildlife cards, with bonuses for mating pairs and continuous chains of symbols.

Seasonal Scoring: Partial scoring occurs after each of the three seasons, with final scoring at the end of the game.

Player Experience

Playing Canopy is a delightful experience, especially with its smooth gameplay mechanics and beautiful artwork. The game flows well, particularly in two or three-player games, where the pace is enjoyable and engaging. However, in four-player games, downtime between turns can be frustrating, and the search for cards becomes more challenging.

Pros

Engaging Mechanics: The combination of card-drafting and set-collection mechanics keeps the game exciting and challenging.

Educational and Inspiring: The game includes scientific names and facts about plants and animals, making it educational and environmentally inspiring.

Beautiful Artwork: The stunning artwork brings the rainforest theme to life, enhancing the gaming experience.

Easy to Learn: Simple enough for new gamers and children, yet with nuances that appeal to experienced players.

Cons

Deck Imbalances: The deck shuffle can sometimes be very imbalanced, leading to uneven distribution of key cards.

Limited Alternative Victory Paths: The game benefits from having more alternative paths to victory beyond just collecting the most points.

Downtime in Larger Player Counts: Four-player games can have more downtime between turns, which can be frustrating.

Personal Thoughts on Canopy

Canopy is an excellent choice for those who enjoy set-collection and card-drafting games. It is particularly suited for players who appreciate a quick, strategic game with a strong thematic element. While it is easy enough for children and new gamers to understand, it also offers depth for more experienced players. However, it may not be the best fit for those seeking a game with complex, long-term strategies or multiple alternative victory paths. Overall, Canopy is a fun and visually appealing game that effectively captures the essence of building a thriving rainforest ecosystem.

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