Undergrove
Undergrove is an area control and cube conversion game inspired the fact that mushrooms and trees trade resources underground. You play as a Douglas-fir tree in the Pacific Northwest, trying to get your seedlings started with their own mycorrhizal relationships. To do this, you'll:
Build a shared forest containing mushrooms with diverse abilities,
Trade with the mushrooms to get resources based on the partnerships you've made, and
Place seedlings in advantageous positions to score points.
Success depends on subtle player interaction, efficient resource management, and building tiny engines. At the end of the game, the player who has grown the best set of seedlings with the most valuable symbiotic relationships will win.
This game has been a real labor of love. I've been a mushroom aficionado for decades, and am absolutely fascinated by the hidden mycorrhizal relationships that literally make life as we know it possible. It's been a joy to work again with fellow nature nerd Mark Wootton, who was the developer on Mariposas and co-designer for this game.
On Kickstarter in fall 2023; full release in 2024.
Designer Diaries
Mark and I wrote a series of blog posts about some of the decisions that went into making the game. You can read them on Board Game Geek:
