2023 · Puzzle
Bonsai
Players act as expert bonsai masters cultivating miniature trees to meet specific aesthetic goals. On a turn a player either meditates—taking a face-up card plus any bonsai tiles shown beneath it—or cultivates by placing tiles from their personal supply into their bonsai according to the placement symbols on their Seishi tile and any active Growth cards. When a bonsai meets or exceeds an unclaimed Goal tile, the player immediately decides to claim that goal or forgo it to pursue a harder one. The deck depletion triggers game end, and each tile in a bonsai scores points. Solo play offers alternate scenarios and an escalating Emperor Challenge.
- Players
- 1–4 best 3
- Playing time
- 40 min
- Age
- 10+
- Complexity
- 1.8 / 5
About the game
Expansions
See them in Ludoya
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Where to buy it
Shop prices and second-hand copies, checked every day.
On Ludoya's tables
Full stats in Ludoya- 266
- Plays logged
- 241
- Players
- 30m 10s
- Average play
- 50
- In collections
- 17
- On wishlists
7.8/10
from 23 Ludoya reviews
Rules questions
Answered from the rulebook by Ludoya's rules assistant.
When I Meditate and take a face-up card, do I also get the tiles shown under that card?
Yes — when you take a face-up card you also take any bonsai tiles shown below that card position; each face-up slot has a specific tile reward. (page 4)
After I draw a card, do I need to slide the other face-up cards and refill from the deck?
Yes — after taking a face-up card you slide all face-up cards to the right so the vacated space is filled, then draw the top card from the deck to refill the now-empty space. (page 4)
How many tiles can I place on a Cultivate action — is it only my Seishi or do Growth cards add placements?
You may place as many tiles as there are symbols on your Seishi tile plus any symbols on your Growth cards; each symbol allows placing one tile of the indicated type. (page 5)
Can I place a fruit next to another fruit or without two adjacent leaves?
No — a fruit must be placed between two leaf tiles that are adjacent to each other (touching two different sides), and you cannot place a fruit adjacent to another fruit. (page 5)
If my bonsai meets a Goal tile during my turn, do I have to take it or can I wait for a harder one?
You must immediately choose whether to claim that Goal tile or renounce it to try for a harder one; if you renounce it you can no longer claim that specific tile later, and you may only claim one Goal tile per color. (page 6)
What if I have more than 5 tiles in my supply at the end of my turn?
Your Seishi tile sets a capacity limit of 5 tiles in your supply; if you have more than 5 at the end of your turn you must discard down to 5 (this limit can be increased by acquiring Tool cards). (page 4)
Free, on web, Android and iOS
Play Bonsai with Ludoya
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Game facts (players, playing time, age, credits) from BoardGameGeek.