Let’s Build Some Gazebos!

Let’s fill up the botanical garden! We have flowers, foliage, and fish, and you can add gazebos as you create nooks of each type of terrain. Stretch your nooks far enough, and you can add gazebos to patios too! Can you add gazebos to the garden faster than all your opponents?

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What Is It?

🥅 The Goal is to be the first player to place all your gazebos on the board. Or, place the most gazebos in the case that the game ends from no more moves being possible on the board
⚙️Race to hit the goal
⚙️Tile Laying – Each turn, players will place a domino on the board connected to at least 1 other terrain
⚙️Area Influence – Players will place gazebos as they create nooks of 2+ of the same color terrain. Smaller nooks may get absorbed as areas expand, which can change who has influence of an area, and whose gazebos get to stay on the board
⚙️Teams – There is an option for 4 player games where partners sit next to each other and you play in teams of 2. The game still ends when someone runs out of gazebos, and the team who used the most gazebos wins
⚙️Variable Set-up – The butterfly garden side of the board has vases, which can give players bonus turns

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Who Is It For?

👥2 to 4 Players – Scales fine for any count; I like the option of the partner mode for 4 players, because it makes the board interactions a bit more interesting
👥Ages 10 & Up – Not a lot of rules, but abstract games can be tricky for some audiences, of any age
👥Players who can visualize moves and think ahead
👥Fans of abstract strategy

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PROS

🟢 Aesthetics – Looks good on the table
🟢 Components – The gazebos are really nice!
🟢 Smooth / quick turns
🟢 Multiple ways to play
🟢 Rules are well written

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CONS

🔴 Components – The cloth board comes folded and the creases are pretty annoying
🔴 The “travel case” seems unnecessary since it’s barely smaller than the box
🔴 Luck factor of the draw, if you aren’t getting the tile(s) you want

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Final Thoughts

Like many abstracts, the game seems straightforward while you read the rules, but in practice, it’s really tricky to be good at. I often felt like I was setting up the next person for a better turn than I had, which was frustrating. It’s all about planning your best moves each turn, and sometimes that might mean holding onto a tile for later, when maybe the board is a little more in your favor. If you’re a fan of abstract games, you might want to check it out!

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Additional Information:
My Final Rating – 5/10

Designer – Reiner Knizia
Artist – A. Giroux
Publisher – Bitewing Games, Allplay
MSRP – $39.00
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