Forest Shuffle

2023 · Card Game

Forest Shuffle

Players build a private forest tableau by collecting and playing cards that represent trees and forest dwellers. On a turn a player either draws two cards (from the deck or the face-up clearing) or pays a cost to play a card into their forest, placing whole tree cards or split dweller cards that attach to trees. Three hidden winter cards are shuffled into the deck; when the third winter appears the game ends immediately and players score points for the trees and the species they attracted. The game emphasizes hand management, tableau building, and timing to create the most valuable, ecologically balanced habitat.

Players
2–5 best 2
Playing time
40–60 min
Age
10+
Complexity
2.2 / 5
7.8 on Ludoyafrom $23.99AnimalsEducationalOpen DraftingEnd Game BonusesHand Management

About the game

Design
Publisher
Forest Shuffle: Alpine2024Forest Shuffle: Woodland Edge2024Forest Shuffle: Exploration2025Forest Shuffle: Hobby Next Promo Cards2023Mischwald: Dürer-Fledermaus / Feldhase Promokarte2023Mischwald: Meeps / Frischling Promo Card2024Forest Shuffle: Elk / Troll Promo Card2024Forest Shuffle: Robin / Water Vole Promo Card2024Forest Shuffle: Roseate Spoonbill / American Alligator Promo Card2025Mischwald: Oh Tannenbaum Promo Card2024Forest Shuffle: Cardinal / Say's Firefly Promo Card2024Forest Shuffle: Lookout Promo Card2025Leśne Rozdanie: Żubr / Bocian biały Promo Card2024Forest Shuffle: Maretak / Bostulp Promo Card2024Forest Shuffle: Cerro Promo Card2024Mischwald: Kuckuck / Chanterelle Promo Card2024Forêt Mixte: Palmier Promo Card2024Embosca't: Geneta / Teixó Promo Card2024Forest Shuffle: Chinese Hare / Red Panda Promo Card2025Forest Shuffle: Песец / Соболь Promo Card2024Forest Shuffle: Brimstone / Marsh Cinquefoil Promo Card2025Forest Shuffle: Sheep / Robber Promo Card2024Forest Shuffle: Blue Jay / Beaver Promo Card2025Mischwald: Rotkäppchen / Großer, böser Wolf Promo Card2025Forest Shuffle: Cigüeña negra / Lince ibérico Promo card2024Forêt Mixte: Cigale / Fourmi Rousse Promo Card2025Forest Shuffle: Arara-Azul / Guaraná Promo Card2025Forest Shuffle: Maple Promo Card2025Forest Shuffle: Dracula / Paeonia peregrina Promo Card2026Forest Shuffle: Gibbon / Pitta Promo Card2025Forest Shuffle: Australian Magpie / Short-Beaked Echidna Promo Card2025Forest Shuffle: Památná lípa2026

Photos from Ludoya tables

All photos in Ludoya
  • Forest Shuffle on the table, photo by Charlotte
  • Forest Shuffle on the table, photo by Simone Damiani
  • Forest Shuffle on the table, photo by Ste
  • Forest Shuffle on the table, photo by Ste
  • Forest Shuffle on the table, photo by Kabra
  • Forest Shuffle on the table, photo by Kabra
  • Forest Shuffle on the table, photo by Ste
  • Forest Shuffle on the table, photo by Ste
  • Forest Shuffle on the table, photo by Ste
  • Forest Shuffle on the table, photo by Ricard Clupés
  • Forest Shuffle on the table, photo by Xerta
  • Forest Shuffle on the table, photo by Xerta

On Ludoya's tables

Full stats in Ludoya
4,368
Plays logged
1,226
Players
28m 7s
Average play
366
In collections
62
On wishlists
1
Pre-ordered

7.8/10

from 151 Ludoya reviews

  • SirKappy8.4

    Fun 5/5 · Interaction 3/5 · Appeal 4/5 · Uniqueness 4/5 · Replayability 4/5 · Accessibility 4/5

    Played it 3 times

  • Nugatra10.0

    Rank: 160 Strategy: 137 Family: 24 Player: 2-5 Community: 2-4 Best: 2 Solo: 122('25), 213('24) Dual: 30('24) Like: Tammy

    Played it 819 times

  • Toni Cutillas7.5

    - Base -

    Played it 13 times

Read the reviews and rate it

Upcoming events with this game

All events

Rules questions

Answered from the rulebook by Ludoya's rules assistant.

How many cards do we draw at setup and can I mulligan if I don't have a tree?

Each player draws 6 cards at setup; if none of those is a tree you may take a mulligan by discarding all six and drawing six replacement cards, but each player may mulligan at most once (page 2).

On my turn what actions can I take — do I have to play a card?

On your turn you must take exactly one action: either Draw Two Cards (one at a time, from deck or clearing) or Play a Card and Check the Clearing — you are not forced to play a card (page 2).

When do winter cards trigger and what happens when they're drawn?

When you draw a winter card you place it face up next to the clearing and immediately draw a replacement, and when the third winter card is drawn the game ends immediately (you may not finish your turn) (pages 3 and 7).

What's the difference between saplings and trees, and do saplings count as a tree species?

A tree sapling is any card played face-down as a universal sapling that provides four slots like a tree but does not belong to any tree species or show a species symbol (page 5); note that when you play a real tree you must also draw the top card from the deck into the clearing (page 4).

How do I pay costs and activate bonuses — do payment cards need to match the played card's color?

To play a card you pay its cost by placing that many other cards from your hand face-up into the clearing (for split cards choose one half to play and pay only that half's cost); a binocular bonus activates only if all cards you discarded as payment show the same tree color/symbol as the card being played (pages 4 and 6).

What's the difference between instant effects and mushroom (permanent) effects — when can I use them?

Most cards give an instant effect you may use immediately after playing the card, while mushrooms grant a permanent effect you may use from your next turn onward and each time their trigger condition occurs (page 6).

Official score sheet

Forest Shuffle score sheet

Every scoring category, from the Ludoya kit. On your phone the totals add up by themselves.

Opens Ludoya's rules assistant, which reads this game's rulebook.

Score sheets and play helpers

  • Full Game Kit
  • Scoresheet
  • Detailed scoring
Use them at your next game

Game facts (players, playing time, age, credits) from BoardGameGeek.