Do you have a green thumb? Are you looking for a board game experience as enjoyable as relaxing? Well, look no further than Delicious. This artful flip-and-write game allows you to create your own magnificent garden by growing fruits and vegetables in whatever container you can find! From wheelbarrows to boots to suitcases, there are endless possibilities for the aspiring gardener. Let’s take a closer look at this delightful game.
There is something magical about playing board games in the midst of gardens, landscapes, and the majestic outdoors! Following the release of Herbaceous and Floriferous, Pencil First Games has done it once again by creating an enjoyable and relaxing game to play with family and friends or by yourself.
Gameplay Overview:
Delicious is an easy-to-learn game with simple rules that can be explained in less than five minutes. Every player starts with their gardening and playing sheets, containing different containers with different scoring rules. The game’s goal is simple; be the first player to collect enough points by drawing fruits and vegetables on your garden field.
In a game of Delicious, players fill their gardens with fruits and vegetables based on cards and tokens revealed in the community supply. During each round, players sketch these plants simultaneously on their garden sheets. Choose your containers, and plant fruits and vegetables to earn the most points.
Most containers contain rows of boxes, and each box will be used to draw a vegetable. On two containers, all vegetables need to be the same; on the other two they all need to be different, and two containers have rows for different pairs of vegetables. Finally, one big container is dedicated to your fruits, which must have a matching symbol.
Each round involves flipping two vegetable cards (one for each deck) and placing a fruit or tool token on each card. Each player chooses one or both cards, their tokens, and where their veggies will be assigned based on the container rules. You sketch your gardening and playing sheets with cards and tokens to get different fruit and vegetable combinations.
The community supply is a shared pool of cards. However, players arrange cards and tokens in different containers in their gardens, resulting in various scoring combinations. Every garden is unique thanks to bonus tools and special powers.
After twelve rounds, the player with the highest score and the most Delicious garden wins!
Game Experience:
The best way of describing playing Delicious is as a solitaire Zen experience. Solving the mini puzzle of where to place your vegetables and fruits and then drawing them on the gardening sheet is soothing and meditative. The gardening theme works wonders, making it easy to get in the flow.
The production values are indeed outstanding in this game. Cards, tokens, gardening sheets, overall components, and gorgeous artwork greatly contribute to the theme of creating your garden. One minor negative point is that the game sheets are not reusable; if you play the game a lot with many friends, you can run out of sheets quickly. Fortunately, Pencil First Games offer a free PDF download of the scoresheets on their website.
Uncertainty plays a significant role in how the game unfolds, as cards and tokens are revealed once per turn randomly. A lucky round can fit your plans perfectly, while unlucky ones may get in your way. However, there is a good balance between strategy and the game’s designed uncertainty, which adds incredible “flavor to Delicious”, spicing it up rather than rendering it frustrating.
The game has low complexity and is straightforward to set up but has some downtime. Each turn, players spend some time playing and drawing. As everyone plays simultaneously, downtime is not an issue, and the time spent playing each turn is surprisingly enjoyable. It is a simple game, though, with some level of strategy and luck. The formula works great, creating a delightful, relaxing, fun game. It is a great filler game to introduce newcomers to the “roll & write” (“flip & write”, to be precise) that reminds me a lot of Railroad Ink, which is one of my favorite games.
There is little player interaction in Delicious, though. Each player can make their own choices based on the shared pool of cards and tokens in the “community garden”. The primary way a player influences others is by completing containers first, which can guarantee extra points at the end of the game. Yet, Delicious is mostly a solitaire game designed to be played simultaneously by as many players as desired.
Despite its simple ruleset and casual nature, Delicious offers excellent replay value. It only takes around 20 minutes per game, so it’s perfect for playing multiple times in a row without getting bored or tired, which makes it ideal for family gatherings or game nights with friends. Plus, with 30 vegetable cards and 30 fruit and tool tokens, there is plenty of variety when designing your gardens. You’ll always have fun combinations and challenge yourself in new ways every time you play.
Final Thoughts:
Delicious is an artful flip-and-write board game that promises hours of fun for family and friends! Its easy-to-learn rules make it an accessible choice for anyone who wants to try something new or just pass some time alone. After playing Delicious once, you’ll find yourself wanting more because its engaging gameplay keeps players coming back again and again! So grab your pencils, gather your friends around the table, and get ready to plant some delicious eats with Delicious!
Final Score: 3 Stars – Delicious is an enjoyable twist on classic flip & write and roll & write games that can keep gamers entertained for hours. With its beautiful artwork and relaxing gameplay mechanics, this title will make a delightful addition to any board gamer’s collection, especially those who enjoy gardening or being outdoors.
Hits:
• Relaxing, soothing and delightful.
• Excellent filler game to play with family and friends or by yourself.
• An enjoyable twist on the roll & write genre.
Misses:
• Great for casual players but may need more complexity for expert players.
• Replay value may be limited for expert players.
• Non-reusable playing sheets may run out quickly.
