How about creating your own botanical garden? As an aristocrat in the late 19th century, you have bought land, hired a gardener and set out to find the best plants there are.
As you know, the visitors are very picky about the plants they want to see, so your job is not only to acquire the plants, but also to sort them according to the visitors' preferences.
In Botanicus, you compete for the best action-spots in a unique selection mechanism, and then make the most of the options available to you. You have to collect new plants, take care of them, water them and keep an eye on the gardener. Last but not least, you have to collect some money along the way to pay for all this.
In the end, what counts is how many visitors you satisfy and how beautiful your garden is. Will you be able to outdo the gardens of your competitors?
—description from the publisher (translated)
Wie wäre es eigentlich, einen eigenen botanischen Garten anzulegen? Als Artistokrat:in des späten
19. Jahrhunderts hast du Land gekauft, heuerst einen Gärtner an und machst dich auf, die schönsten Pflanzen überhaupt zu finden. Allerdings haben die Besucher ganz spezielle Vorstellungen, welche Pflanzen sie in deinem Garten bewundern wollen. Es reicht also nicht, sie irgendwie einzupflanzen – nein, du musst die Pflanzen dummerweise auch noch so aufstellen, dass die passenden Besucher das sehen, was sie wollen.
In Botancius konkurrierst du über einen neuen Aktions-Mechanismus mit deinen Mitspieler:innen um den besten Ertrag für deinen Garten. Du willst also die richtigen Pflanzen ergattern und diese zum richtigen Zeitpunkt gießen, dich um deinen Gärtner kümmern, und natürlich darfst du auch deine Finanzen nicht vernachlässigen!
Am Ende kommt es darauf an, wie viele der Schaulustigen zufrieden mit ihrem Besuch sind und wie schön euer Garten ist. Schaffst du es, die Gärten deiner Konkurrent*innen zu überschatten?
—description from the publisher
Images
- puzzle-like scoring with clean systems
- satisfying order fulfillment
- advanced rules may deter casual players
- gardening, plant growth, and public inspection
- private botanical garden with four species and growth levels
- calm, puzzle-driven Euro with elegant progression
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- fulfillment sequencing — fulfilling orders flips them to harder variations and unlocks bonuses
- grid-based garden management — four species, four colors, growth levels 1-4, and inspection orders
- Track Advancement — movement along tracks and animal bonuses influence scoring
- track advancement and animal enticement — movement along tracks and animal bonuses influence scoring
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- these are just 10 games I want to play this year that I already have I don't have to wait for a Kickstarter for it arrive
- the Rats of Wester it is a euro game which has this interesting wheel mechanism which is combined with worker placement
- it's a game where you'll be leading a herd of camels through the desert as you're basically looking for water holes
- I cannot wait to get this to the table and just really see what this game is like
References (from this video)
- Puzzly medium to lightweight Euro.
- Uses an interesting action selection mechanism reminiscent of Floriferous.
- Lovely flow to the game.
- Engaging despite its simplicity.
- Advanced variant offers enough to keep players satisfied.
- Has flown under the radar but has an audience.
- Playing incorrectly (one round too many) dampened enjoyment.
- Need to revisit to solidify thoughts after playing incorrectly.
- Filling personal gardens with flower pots and completing objectives.
- garden
- Floriferous
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- action selection — Choosing an action based on a column, where deeper dives offer better actions but lower turn priority.
- Set Collection — Completing objectives based on goal tiles for rows in the garden.
- Tableau Building — Improving flower pots from level one to four by watering flowers.
- track climbing — Climbing different tracks grants abilities and points.
- Worker Placement — The Gardener pawn moves around the garden, restricting actions to surrounding plant pots.
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- This is why I take a look at the last five new to me board games that I played and I rank and review them in order of preference.
- I'm much more of a euro gamer and a card gamer.
- So yeah while I can say it's not for me it might be for you and it might be worth checking out and it's definitely going to be a contender for artwork of the year because everything in this game just looks spectacular.
- It's just a really charming fun family weight experience and I left the game fing really impressed by actually and I did thoroughly enjoy my plays.
- This one is exactly what I'm looking for in a deduction game because you are in charge of your own t because again you can't share your own information so you know you're in the hot seat and you actually have some autonomy you're not going to be quarterbacked by another player.
- And all in all I don't really have a single bad thing to say about this game um other than the fact I might say I'm not always in the mood to play it.
References (from this video)
- Very well-designed game
- Encourages playing with expert variants from the start
- Simple system made difficult by worker placement restrictions
- Good efficiency puzzle
- Longevity might not be there
- After a few plays, the host feels like they've seen everything.
- Gardening/Plant cultivation
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- action selection — Players choose actions on the main board via an initiative system.
- Resource Management — Players need money to move their garden around the grid.
- Set Collection — Players are trying to create rows and columns to achieve goals with plants.
- Track Advancement — Actions let players move across tracks to gain new plants and water them.
- Worker Placement — Actions are chosen through an initiative system on the main board, restricting where workers can be placed.
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- this is where I talk about all of the games that I have played over the last couple of weeks
- Lorenzo and I think this was the first time I've ever played the game at four players I think three is the sweet spot if I'm honest
- this is still one of the best engine builders out there I love this game I think it is terrific and it is still a top 10 for me
- I think my strategy was mainly based on the buildings here so I got quite a few buildings down and I manag to push right to the top of the building track
- for me this is one of the kind of modern Euro greates because it's just so well refined and so well polished and every time I play it I'm just left impressed
- this one I always say is probably one of the cleanest examples of having a lot of things going on in such a streamlined system
- it really is an efficiency puzzle because there's only like two rounds and there's very little slack and very little kind of room for or you know to make mistakes or you know not be efficient
- I would say maybe the longevity isn't quite there
- this one I'm definitely encourage you pick up if you want to try something a bit different I'm definitely being overlooked and underrated because it's a very well-designed game
- this one I always compare to the famous coloretto works almost identically to be honest except the scoring system is different
- it feels like a a clean Evergreen and if you want a simple easily easily approachable card game in your collect that pretty much anybody can play actually it's it's super simple but still engaging
- splitter a game I've not played a lot recently actually but I always Advocate this little roll and white
- it's really good fun extremely punishing actually if you make a mistake
- Rat Jack a game I speak quite highly of when I when I first played it and reviewed it I still really like this game
- if you like those kind of pushy luck black Jack style games but with a lot more interaction and some take that then rat Jack is a good one to look at
- I have to admit I was very I would even say lukewarm I was quite cold in it to be honest I didn't get a lot of enjoyment from it
- I did I still did not enjoy this one I think it's a little bit too fussy and a bit too fiddly
- I'm not a big fan of this build a poah hand system and based on these cards because you don't know what's going to come out next and you don't really know what to you know to work towards
- I find the um the symbology very tiny and it's not the most comfortable to look at
- I find it a a little bit too swingy and too luck dependent
- it kind of just feels like the game is playing you
References (from this video)
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- Uh, brilliant little tug-of-war game.
- So much going on that's so easy to play.
- It's just a really fun party game.
- Games that you can pretty much pick up and play.
- These are your kind of gamers games, you more heavier, more involved Euros.
- And the winner is The Druids of Adora by the great Stefan Feld.
References (from this video)
- well-rated (8.2/10) with favorable community reception
- light to medium weight with accessible decisions
- less-known title; potential discovery hurdle
- botany and garden design
- botanical garden / plant collection
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Action Drafting — choose actions on a grid-like board
- Grid Movement — move pieces across a modular grid to optimize placement
- Modular Board — board layout changes between plays to vary strategy
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- Captain Flip is a very lightweight family type game
- I think Daybreak is an excellent game from Matt Leacock
- I think Sky Team deserves to win those rewards
- the Roll-and-write mechanism is really embellished and taken to the next level
- Legacy version I've heard has a lot of good things to offer
References (from this video)
- Elegant abstract strategy
- Tense market competition
- Dependent on players recognizing patterns
- Plant cultivation and market dynamics
- Garden plots with flowers
- Abstract strategy
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Competition for resources — Other players can snatch seeds from under your rose.
- Market/seed bundles — Seeds and flowers are bought from a shared market in bundles.
- Pattern Building — Players arrange patterns on their plots to maximize scoring.
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- how does a bee carry a stone and how does that stone obstruct another bee
- this still looks like a neat game
- it's a flip and write game that is quick and easy to play but still has enough depth to entertain gamers
- there are several endgame conditions
References (from this video)
- Solid puzzle and interaction around rondelle system
- Accessible two-player design
- Not everyone's cup of tea due to track management and pacing
- Rondell-based euro games
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Rondel — Predictable circular action selection to perform major actions.
- Rondell action selection — Predictable circular action selection to perform major actions.
- Tile Placement — Board setup with plots and tracks for planting and scoring.
- tile/board placement — Board setup with plots and tracks for planting and scoring.
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- and so I really like that the ramping difficulty is really nice as well
- thematic integration the push your luck mechanism of brewing your beers feels what I imagine to be very thematic
- I soundly lost
- I feel like it is a marriage between The Best of Both Worlds
- I would happily play if someone recommended it
- I really enjoyed the puzzle that this game provides
References (from this video)
- Engaging puzzle design with approachable rules
- Distinct column-based action system that drives meaningful decisions
- Gardener constraint creates forward-planning and tension
- Two variant modes offer scalable complexity
- Strong thematic integration with plants, flowers, and animals
- Nice flow and pacing that rewards track advancement
- Gardener-driven placement can constrain options and frustrate some players
- Misplaying or extending a round can dampen enjoyment (as noted by the reviewer)
- Potential for limited scalability in very large groups or very tight player counts
- Flora cultivation and strategic optimization through limited placement and progression on tracks.
- A garden with four-tiered plant pots; a gardener moves around to plant and water crops, unlocking plants and animals as the garden evolves.
- Abstract, mechanic-driven with a light, nature-inspired theme.
- Floriferus
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- animal unlocks and synergistic scoring — Animals provide ongoing bonuses and can influence scoring interactions, such as counting towards other animals or specific objectives.
- base vs advanced variant — Two variants exist; the advanced variant amplifies puzzliness while remaining digestible, increasing depth for experienced players.
- column-based action selection with initiative impact — Players choose an action by selecting a column; deeper actions are stronger but reduce next-turn initiative, creating tension between immediate gain and future turn order.
- Compound Scoring — Animals provide ongoing bonuses and can influence scoring interactions, such as counting towards other animals or specific objectives.
- gardener movement and restricted placement — A gardener token moves around the garden, and actions can only affect the four pots surrounding the gardener's current location, forcing forward planning.
- objective tiles and column scoring — Goals are assigned to each row/column; end-game scoring uses the best plan in each column, encouraging strategic prioritization across multiple tracks.
- plant growth and level progression — Plants come in four levels; players water to upgrade levels and unlock higher scoring potential.
- Resource Management — Money is required to perform actions; maintaining a steady supply supports escalation along tracks and enabling key actions.
- Resource management and economy — Money is required to perform actions; maintaining a steady supply supports escalation along tracks and enabling key actions.
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- this is a puzzly Euro that only takes around an hour to play
- the actions in this game are actually very simple
- you'll be trying to fill up your personal little garden of these flower pots that come in four different levels
- you can unlock these animals that will give you ongoing benefits
- this game is really enjoyable
- it's a great example that has sadly flown under the radar
- there's enough going on to keep you satisfied and enough for you to sink your teeth into
- I think there's going to be an audience for this one
- if you're watching my channel you'll probably enjoy the advanced variant as a standard edition
- I played it again since, and unfortunately, I was playing it incorrectly, and that did somewhat dampen my enjoyment