Alice's Garden

Place Tetris-style flowers and trees on your board to satisfy the Queen's garden rules.

Designer: Ikhwan Kwon
Published by: Lifestyle Boardgames Ltd
Editions by: Maldito Games, MINDOK, Schmidt Spiele, Popcorn Games, Mandoo Games, One Moment Games, Goliath Games, GP Games, Red Cat Games, Happy Meeple Games

Alice wanders into the Queen's garden and the poor gardeners are run off their feet: the trees must be as far apart as possible, the rose bushes the most sumptuous in Wonderland, and the chess pieces need a neat path to walk on. You play the gardeners, placing Tetris-style tiles of flowers and trees onto your own board and trying to meet as many of the Queen's wishes as you can. Tiles are shared out with an I-cut-you-choose twist, and the game ends once someone can no longer place a tile. Quiet, colorful puzzling for one to four players, about 45 minutes, from 2020.

Tetris-style flower and tree tilesSatisfy the Queen's requirements for pointsI-cut-you-choose sharing of tiles

Who it's for

You like gentle tile-laying puzzles with a storybook theme and want something that also works solo.

Not for you if…

You prefer direct conflict or tough strategy. This is a calm puzzle about your own board.

Vibe's take

Quiet and tidy, with a nice little knot of tension. You squeeze oddly shaped tiles into a grid while your neighbors keep taking the one you wanted.