Gardens (2014) Board Game – Board Game Guys

Gardens is a board game that was released in 2014 and designed by Fiore GmbH, Marc Margielsky, and Pedro Soto. It falls under the environmental category and involves pattern recognition and tile placement mechanisms. The game is designed for 2-4 players, with a runtime of about 45 minutes and an age recommendation of 8 and up.

Game Components of Gardens

Player Boards: Each player has a board divided into three sections (left, right, and center) with grid spots for 12 cards.

Garden Feature Cards: Cards from A, B, and C decks featuring various garden elements like trees, statuary, and water features.

Meeple ‘Tourists’: Figures that activate when new cards are placed in their row, scoring points as they move through the garden.

Score Track: A track with changeable scoring goal tiles corresponding to the garden features.

Landmarks and Advanced Boards: Optional components for increased complexity.

How To Setup Gardens

To set up **Gardens**, place the score track in the center of the play area. Each player receives their own player board and assembles it into three parts. Players draw a starting hand of cards, and the A, B, and C decks are placed within reach. The meeple ‘tourists’ are positioned on their respective rows on each player’s board.

Gameplay Mechanics and Game Objective

Card Drafting: Players take turns drafting cards from the A, B, and C decks to place in their garden.

Tableau Building: Players strategically place cards to maximize scoring as the meeple ‘tourists’ move through the garden.

Scoring: Points are scored when the meeple ‘tourists’ travel through certain cards and at the end of the game based on accumulated features.

Game Objective: The player who plans out the highest scoring garden wins.

Player Experience

**Gardens** offers a pleasant and aesthetic gaming experience. The game is easy to learn and play, making it accessible to a wide range of players. The competition is gentle, and the game features beautiful art and theme-related elements like trees, statuary, and water features. It is similar in mechanics to games like **Santa Monica**, focusing on creating an effectively laid-out tableau.

Pros

Beautifully Put Together: High-quality components and pleasant artwork.

Well-Implemented Theme: The game celebrates the Sydney Botanical Gardens with historical context and land acknowledgements.

Scalable Difficulty: Options for more complex scoring objectives and advanced boards.

Variety of Modes: Includes solo, two-player, and 3-4 player modes.

Cons

Nothing New or Innovative: Mechanics are not unique and are similar to other card drafting games.

Rulebook Organization: Instructions, especially for the two-player mode, can be scattered and hard to follow.

Personal Thoughts on Gardens

**Gardens** is ideal for fans of aesthetic games like **Wingspan** and **Flamecraft**, who are looking for a light, pleasant start to their game night. It is a great choice for those who appreciate thematic games that are easy to learn but still offer some depth through scalable difficulty. However, players seeking innovative mechanics or complex gameplay might find it a bit too simple.

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