Description

A game of thought and artistry. Players are bonsai tree gardeners competing for the title of "Master Gardener."

Bonsai is a beautiful pattern matching tile-laying game where players use tiles to grow their tree and compete for the best overall submission.

Components:
24 Branch Tiles
12 Trunk Tiles
6 Large Trunk Tiles
20 Pattern Cards
7 Community Goal cards ("Ribbons")
5 Foliage "chits" of each player color
Turn Track
3 Bonsai Pots.

Players take turns selecting and adding a branch tile to their flower pot. Each tile has a color: red, green, or yellow. When players have created a pattern that corresponds to a pattern card in play, they obtain that pattern card. As the game progresses players are given the opportunity to add foliage to their tree, but only to certain branches. This foliage can also count towards color patterns.

Trunk tiles and Large trunk tiles are placed on top of branch tiles. Trunks are worth VP, and build your tree "up" visually, which is very satisfying.

This game is played over the course of 12 turns depicted on the turn track.

In the basic rules, players have a one-time use special power to trim their tree, or change the position of 1 tile. This happens more often in Advanced Play.

Scoring:
Scoring happens at the end of the game, when players easily count points for every pattern card completed, the number of visible points on tiles, and community goal cards. But watch out! If your tree has any spare branches, you're going to lose 1 point for each one!