Grove (2022) Board Game – Board Game Guys

Grove is a card game designed by James Thompson from the UK and released in in 2022. It is a fantasy-themed humor party game that can be played with 2 to 4 players, with a best experience at 4 players. The game features mechanics such as end game bonuses, hand management, market, open drafting, set collection, and take that.

Game Components of Grove

18 cards featuring orange, lemon, and lime trees

New ‘wild card’ element: Glades (open spaces without trees)

A cheeky squirrel card (worth negative points)

A wheelbarrow card (for extra-large hauls)

Recipe challenge cards on the card backs with various scoring conditions and target scores

Dice for game mechanics

How To Setup Grove

To set up Grove, start with a base card and prepare the remaining 17 cards. Shuffle the deck and draw the necessary cards to begin layering. The game includes a simple and straightforward setup process, making it easy to learn and get started quickly.

Gameplay Mechanics and Game Objective

Layering Cards: Players layer cards to build an orchard, matching fruit symbols to increase the value of the fruit.

Glades: Use open spaces (Glades) to cover any card, though this causes the fruit to fall unless matched correctly.

Squirrel: Place the squirrel card for negative points if wrong types of trees are overlapped.

Wheelbarrow: Utilize the wheelbarrow for handling extra-large hauls.

Recipe Challenges: Achieve target scores using the recipe cards on the card backs.

Objective: The goal is to maximize the harvest and score by layering cards strategically and meeting recipe challenges.

Player Experience

Players find Grove challenging, fun, and highly portable. The game is praised for its ease of learning, high replay factor, and the puzzly aspect of layering cards. It is a great one-player pick-up game that can be taken anywhere, making it perfect for waiting or traveling.

Pros

Portable: The game is small, sturdy, and easy to travel with.

High Replay Factor: The addition of Glades and recipe challenges offers a lot of variety and replayability.

Challenging but Rewarding: Players appreciate the challenging yet rewarding gameplay.

Easy to Learn: Simple setup and rules make it accessible to new players.

Variety in Gameplay: The game includes different scoring mechanics and goals, adding variety to each play.

Cons

Limited to Solo Play: The game is designed primarily for solo players, which might be a drawback for those looking for multi-player experiences.

Objective Dependency: Some players might find the game more enjoyable without the goal-based scoring, preferring the simpler layering puzzle of Orchard.

Personal Thoughts on Grove

Grove is ideal for fans of solo card games who enjoy a challenge and variety in gameplay. It is perfect for those who appreciate puzzles and strategic thinking, and its portability makes it a great companion for any travel or downtime. While it may not offer multi-player options, its unique mechanics and rewarding gameplay make it a standout in the solitaire game category. If you enjoyed Orchard but are looking for something more complex and engaging, Grove is definitely worth checking out.

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