Prosperitea (2022) Board Game

Prosperitea is a board game that was released in 2022 and designed by Al Gonzalez III and Jose Pimienta. The game falls under the categories of card game and economic simulation. Set in the world of tea trading, players take on the role of tea merchants aiming to build their empire and become the most successful in the industry.

Game Components of Prosperitea

Ingredient decks: Four decks for Black tea, Green tea, Herbal Tisane, and Flavor.

Order cards: Standard and premium order decks.

Favor tokens: Used in place of ingredients in future turns.

Coins: For purchasing ingredients and tracking points.

Reference cards: For additional rules and evergreen orders.

Teabag-shaped cards: For ingredients and orders, noted for their beautiful and creative design.

How To Setup Prosperitea

To set up the game, shuffle each of the four ingredient decks and place them in the center of the table. Likewise, shuffle the standard and premium order decks and place them centrally. Deal out six standard orders and three premium orders to form their respective markets. Each player receives a starting amount of money and ingredient cards based on their player order, with earlier players getting more money and fewer ingredients. Players draw their starting ingredients blindly from any of the four ingredient decks, keeping them face up in their play area.

Gameplay Mechanics and Game Objective

Sourcing Ingredients: Players can spend 0, 3, or 5 coins to draw 1, 3, or 4 ingredient cards.

Fulfilling Orders: Players can use their ingredients to fulfill orders from the market, gaining either money or points.

Asking for Help: Players can request ingredients from other players to fulfill orders, earning favor tokens for the helping players.

Evergreen Orders: Simple teas that can be made without specific order cards, helping players gain coins.

Game Timer: An order card is removed and replaced each turn; the game ends when one of the order decks is empty.

Scoring: Points are awarded for kept order cards, unused favor tokens, and every five coins at the end of the game.

Player Experience

Players experience a mix of cooperation and competition as they manage their tea shops. The game requires strategic sourcing of ingredients and fulfilling orders, often needing to ask for favors from other players. While the game is praised for its beautiful artwork and eco-friendly production, it has been criticized for unclear rules and a lack of excitement in the gameplay.

Pros

Beautiful Artwork: The game is noted for its gorgeous and creative design, including teabag-shaped cards.

Eco-Friendly: The game is produced with responsible materials.

Easy to Learn: Players find the game easy to pick up, with a quick learning curve.

Cooperative Elements: Sharing and cooperation are integral to success, adding a social aspect.

Cons

Unclear Rules: The rulebook and reference cards are sometimes conflicting and lacking in detail.

Lack of Excitement: The gameplay has been described as boring, with no moment of joy when sets are collected.

Personal Thoughts on Prosperitea

Prosperitea is for those who enjoy set collection and trading games with a touch of cooperation. While it offers a unique and beautifully crafted tea shop theme, the game’s unclear rules and lackluster gameplay may deter some players. It is best suited for families or casual gamers looking for a quick, visually appealing game, but it may not satisfy those seeking more complex or thrilling experiences.

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