Wizard’s Garden (2004) Board Game

Wizard’s Garden is an abstract strategy board game that was released in 2004 by XVgames. Designed by Tim Schutz and featuring artwork by Rita Lombardi, the game has captured the attention of players looking for a unique gaming experience. With a focus on environmental themes and pattern building, Wizard’s Garden offers a refreshing take on traditional board games.

Game Components of Wizard’s Garden

4×4 square board

Double-sided game pieces (seeds) with different colors on each side

Embossed wooden discs in a velvet bag (in the XV Games edition)

Board printed on the velvet bag for portability

How To Setup Wizard’s Garden

To set up Wizard’s Garden, players initially place four pieces on the board, ensuring they are not connected orthogonally. The double-sided pieces can be placed with either color showing, but they must be noted. A piece is flipped to determine the starting player, with the winner of the flip going first.

Gameplay Mechanics and Game Objective

Turn Structure: Players take turns placing a stone of either color on an empty cell orthogonally adjacent to at least one other stone.

Flipping Pieces: All stones orthogonally adjacent to the played piece flip color.

Removing Pieces: Any four in-a-row pieces of the same color are removed from the board, with the player earning one point and keeping one piece in their scoring pool.

Game End: The game ends when there are no more moves available. The player with the most points wins.

Tie Breaker: A built-in tie breaker mechanism is included, though details are minimal.

Player Experience

Wizard’s Garden is praised for its simplicity and deep strategic gameplay. It is highly portable, with the XV Games edition featuring a velvet bag with a printed board. The game is quick to learn but offers a lot of replay value, making it appealing to fans of abstract strategy games.

Pros

Simple to Learn: Easy rules that can be grasped in minutes.

High Replay Value: Non-intuitive strategic gameplay ensures many different playthroughs.

Portable: The XV Games edition is highly portable.

Shared Pieces Mechanic: The unique shared pieces mechanic adds depth to the game.

Cons

Potential Durability Issue: The velvet bag with the printed board could be damaged if exposed to liquids.

Limited Availability: It may not be widely available compared to other board games.

Personal Thoughts on Wizard’s Garden

Wizard’s Garden is ideal for fans of abstract strategy games who appreciate simple yet deeply strategic gameplay. It is a great addition to any board game collection, especially for those who enjoy games like Reversi. Despite being released in 2004, its unique mechanics and portability make it a game worth discovering even years later.

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