The Hanging Gardens were one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, but did they actually exist? Nothing remains of the reported splendor of the Gardens, which were built for the eyes of Queen Amyitis.
In The Hanging Gardens, players are landscape architects who attempt to reestablish the beauty and splendor of the original Hanging Gardens. Since there is no exact reference to follow, players create designs according to their own tastes.
During the game, players acquire building cards, which they place in their play areas. Card follows card with magnificent buildings, sparkling fountains, and exotic plants, as the players work to rebuild the legendary Gardens. At game end, the Queen will reward the victory palm to the player whose work on the Gardens most impresses Her Highness.
- Tight, restrictive worker placement with a strong puzzle
- Polished presentation and sharp design
- Tile drafting and pyramid shaping
- Ancient Babylon/Wonder of the Gardens
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- The rules are very simple, but it is crunchy and a lot of fun
- Coordination between players in this game goes so far above and beyond what you normally see in this style of co-op game
- Two-player only and absolutely fantastic
- The conveyor belt action is fantastic. Rondell gameplay is big and crunchy here
- This is the hidden gem of the show for many folks
References (from this video)
- underrated gem
- strong thematic resonance with garden-building
- availability / recognition outside niche circles
- garden-building, resource management
- fantastical gardens / mythical landscape
- abstracted
- Las Vegas Royale
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- set collection / pattern building — collect elements to form efficient patterns for scoring
- tile placement — place garden tiles to create a layout that yields points/resources
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- I'm all for getting rid of board game boxes when needed.
- The more this has happened, the more I think I should do it to all my games.
- I feel like an assassin. The first one's hard, but then it gets easier.
- Keyside is it's the heaviest installment in this series. I think it's a masterpiece.
- Ticket to Ride is one of my all-time favorites.