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Game Info
Year
2017
Collection
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Description
In Topiary, players try to position their visitors on the outer edge of a beautiful topiary garden in order to give them the best view possible. Visitors can see the closest topiary sculpture to them and any behind that, in the same sight line, that are larger. You can score bonus points for visitors who see multiple topiary sculptures of the same type. Players slowly fill in the garden by adding tiles until everyone has placed all their visitors.
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All mentions
Browse transcript mentions, sentiments, pros/cons, mechanics, topics, quotes, and references.
Total mentions: 7
This page: 7
Sentiment:
pos 7 ·
mix 0 ·
neu 0 ·
neg 0
Showing 1–7 of 7
Video S4AICO5Zi10
Rolling Dice & Taking Names Discussion at 0:53 sentiment: positive
video_pk 93530 · mention_pk 253213
Click to watch at 0:53 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Visually appealing with cute components
- Easy to teach and play
- Good filler game
- Offers more strategic depth than initially appears
- Engaging for both new and experienced players
- Plays well at 2 players
Cons
- Scoring can be lengthy and tedious at the end of the game
Thematic elements
- viewing topiary sculptures
- garden
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Hand Management — Players manage topiary tiles in their hand, choosing which ones to place or keep for scoring.
- Line of Sight — Players place meeples on the edges of the grid to look down rows, columns, or diagonals, scoring points based on the topiaries they can see (low numbers in front, high numbers in back).
- Set Collection — Players score additional points for having sets of the same topiary sculpture in their line of sight.
- Tile Placement — Players flip and place tiles to reveal topiary sculptures in a 5x5 grid.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- Marty, as you had to wait 20 minutes is Omar you'll get this.
- oh you know the last time I played gentes um you guys had played several times and then I got to play again I got destroyed and it was all set maybe this game isn't that great and it's just that it's just that instant it's like well you know this game in that great after all it's true if you don't play well it's ours the experience
- the old dog can be taught new tricks
- Christian Peterson said and I quote I spent some time talking to people that compared the current hobby games market conditions to these sports cards business several years ago sports cards used to be a thriving business you had had these shops selling cards trading cards and they would become a hub for a local community of collectors that would talk together open packs in the store talk sports with the store owner trade cards to complete collections meet new friends etc
- Tony, I think it's off base it's just because Tony and I went through that we saw exactly what happens with our collection we saw exactly it talked about every card maker jumping in making three four five sets every year
- I'm embracing it the eyes are not the same
- guess what things are still going on things are moving nicely we're still getting board games we're still having fun playing got no issues here just don't talk about the baseball card thing
- My resolution from 2018 is to produce more videos than I did last year.
- Tony is too grumpy give him some pie to cheer him up you grumpy.
- Tony has turned the grumpy stick up to 11 when old man leave me alone.
- I will play it again okay I don't care that I almost got laughed in victory points and I still of that room it pisses me off that I couldn't figure it out and that's how I felt with Terra Mystica yeah I will figure this game out it will not defeat me I that's my ultimate goal.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video No_zh1ZQrVg
Getting Games Top 20 List at 53:00 sentiment: positive
video_pk 92022 · mention_pk 247081
Click to watch at 53:00 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- elegant, simple structure
- tight, quick gameplay
Cons
- tiny play area / pads may be hard to read
Thematic elements
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- spatial abstract / grid-based drafting — placing guests on a garden grid to maximize visible values
- tile swapping / memory — swap facedown tiles to match observed guests' views
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- this game is amazing
- it completely blew me away
- Gaia Project... I enjoyed it more than Terra Mystica
- Masters Trials did a good job of combating the number one issue of cooperative games
- it's a really good card game version of a previous game
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video xv9xk9syWMw
Grant Lyon News at 43:57 sentiment: positive
video_pk 80325 · mention_pk 195353
Click to watch at 43:57 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Plays 1-8 players in just 20 minutes.
- Unique mechanic of layering transparent cards over background cards to create colors.
- Offers strategy in a light game with a high player count.
Cons
- Described as a light strategy game, so not for heavy gamers.
Thematic elements
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- color mixing (card layering) — Background cards and transparent overlay cards combine to create new colors.
- Draft and Pass — Players draft cards and pass their hands to the next player.
- Scoring Conditions — Cards in the tableau have various scoring conditions.
- Tableau Building — Players build a personal tableau of cards.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- Sorry this video is coming a little bit late this month.
- I have been on tour with my board game comedy show.
- Almost every single show has sold out so far which is better than I could have hoped for.
- So I hope to see you at those shows as well.
- This is a cooperative party game.
- The grid is smaller.
- This is a trick-taking game at its core.
- The twist of the game, the thing that makes it interesting and different from other games, is you will have sort of a background card and a transparency colored card. And when you combine those two things, they will create a different color.
- There is worker placement. There is hand management. There's a betting and bluffing aspect to the game.
- So yeah, that is 23 games coming to retail here in the month of June.
- I have been releasing episodes of It's All Funny and Games.
- Thank you so much. I'm Grant with Grant's Game Rex.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video uzB3w9ktbh4
The Dice Tower Review at 8:23 sentiment: positive
video_pk 79951 · mention_pk 193621
Click to watch at 8:23 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Pretty neat theming
Cons
none
Thematic elements
- Trimming hedges
- Garden
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
Mechanics unknown.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- So, we're going to jump right into these here. I'm going to take a look at them and tell you what I think about them.
- This game is now 20 years old.
- It's not nearly as good as made by the people who made War of the Ring.
- This is my favorite because all the pieces move like rooks sort of and you're trying to take over other people's pieces and each one has a special power and I like the theming of it.
- Layers expansions bring it up to a nine. Layers is amazing.
- I think the base game is fine, but when you I mean it's it's very it's enjoyable, but when you add the expansion it's fantastic.
- Nothing here I think is amazing.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video ET8Tj_ryzWA
kovray Discussion at 42:35 sentiment: positive
video_pk 32257 · mention_pk 214865
Click to watch at 42:35 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- great party-game feel
- simple teach for new players
Cons
- theme may feel gimmicky for some
Thematic elements
- group size as the score; be with the most people
- high school social dynamics and popularity contests
- poker-like trick-taking with a party-game vibe
Comparison games
- Five Cucumbers
- Center
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Compound Scoring — points awarded for the largest group in play
- group-dynamic scoring — points awarded for the largest group in play
- Trick-Taking — score based on how many players you’re with at the end
- trick-taking with a popularity metric — score based on how many players you’re with at the end
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- "one of the most underrated, most thematic trick-taking games out there"
- "cooperative trick taking game, but there's a hidden trader"
- "neat connection between its theme and its mechanisms"
- "this is not a persuasive essay to convince you that arcs is a trick-taking game"
- "Skull King is one of those games where every round has a big moment"
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video MYS52sCEFug
Brains On Games Review at 0:38 sentiment: positive
video_pk 30559 · mention_pk 213353
Click to watch at 0:38 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- striking table presence with bright, geometric art
- innovative scoring that ties foreground and background together
- quick to learn, teach, and play; scalable for larger groups
- customizable scoring with goal cards adds strategic depth
- accessible for families and lighter gamers while still offering decisions
Cons
- potential for end-game analysis paralysis at higher player counts
- prototype artwork and icons may still evolve before final release
- a finite pool of goal cards in the prototype; final expansion may alter balance
- not highly thematic; emphasizes abstract puzzle elements over narrative
Thematic elements
- colorful tableau creation through foreground/background pairing
- 1960s silk-screen studio/pop-art production
- abstract, color-driven puzzle with art-object scoring
Comparison games
- Fromage
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- advanced goals (optional) — An optional mode adds group-goal cards that yield bonus points when specific conditions are met across colors and layouts.
- Card Drafting — On each turn, players select a foreground card and a background card, then pass the remaining cards to the next player, creating a circulating drafting loop.
- color combination scoring — Points are earned by combining foreground/background colors to create scoring conditions; colors can mix to produce new visual effects that influence points.
- Compound Scoring — Points are earned by combining foreground/background colors to create scoring conditions; colors can mix to produce new visual effects that influence points.
- hidden information management — Pass-and-hide mechanics using deck boxes to partially conceal fore/background cards, encouraging memory and strategic blocking.
- Memory — Memory of passed and received cards helps optimize future placements, especially at lower player counts where options shift as cards circulate.
- memory/neighbor awareness — Memory of passed and received cards helps optimize future placements, especially at lower player counts where options shift as cards circulate.
- Pick and pass drafting — On each turn, players select a foreground card and a background card, then pass the remaining cards to the next player, creating a circulating drafting loop.
- Tableau Building — Players assemble a 3x3 tableau by choosing and placing foreground/background cards to form patterns, colors, and scoring opportunities.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- Pop art is a light pick and pass drafting game.
- This is a game that looks great on the table.
- The way that you're combining the foreground and the background to create the scoring condition is really clever.
- There are lots of different ways to earn points.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video 1Txqls2oMN0
The Board Game Garden Preview at 1:08 sentiment: positive
video_pk 28774 · mention_pk 148424
Click to watch at 1:08 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Short playtime (~15 minutes) with 1-8 player support
- Satisfying simultaneous drafting and layered-art mechanic
- Color-blind-friendly color cues for layer outcomes
- Compact, visually appealing components and box design
- Solid solo mode and public-goal replayability
Cons
- Prototype components may change before production
- Layering rules can present a learning curve for new players
- Some scoring rules can be dense without reference materials
Thematic elements
- silkscreen color layering and art-world competition
- 1960s silk-screen printing scene exploring pop art culture
- procedural with emphasis on design choices and scoring
Comparison games
- Canvas
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Card Drafting — Players select cards from the center decks at the same time, enabling rapid, uninterrupted play.
- color blending with transparent cards — Overlaid foreground and background colors produce new colors that drive scoring conditions.
- pattern/adjacency-based scoring — Points are awarded based on color interactions, positions, and relationships to neighboring cards.
- public goals and optional solo mode — End scoring uses public goal cards; solo mode pits you against an AI neighbor for comparison.
- scoring of nine-card tableau with goal overlays — Each card in the 3x3 grid contributes points per its color, placement, and configured goals.
- Simultaneous card drafting — Players select cards from the center decks at the same time, enabling rapid, uninterrupted play.
- two-card layering into a 3x3 tableau — Each turn you place a foreground and a background card to build a layered print within a 3x3 grid.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- "simultaneous card game for 1 to eight players"
- "the next pop art sensation of the 1960s"
- "it's a prototype, so everything is subject to change"
- "this is a really nice cool square box"
- "I am excited to get into this one"
- "the same two designers as Canvas"
- "and it does use some similar transparent cards for some really cool layering mechanisms"
- "simultaneously close-drafting cards"
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
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