Wouter & Ymke 
Formosa Flowers brings to the table a charming experience that combines the beauty of seasons changing and flowers blooming with the joy of creating memories. This game is inspired by Hanafuda, a traditional card game from the Japanese court. It’s about mixing and matching plants, animals, and seasons to score points. What makes Formosa Flowers interesting is how it takes this old game and adds its own little twists.
👥 2-4 players, ages 10+
⌛ Playing time: 15-30 minutes
📝 Designer: Lin Chen Yu
🎨 Artwork: Kuo Li Chi
🏢 Publisher: Soso Studio, distributed by Taiwan Boardgame Design (review copy provided)
The Blossoming World of Formosa Flowers
The game is played with 54 cards. These are divided into sets for the 12 months, with 4 cards each, plus 6 wild cards that can represent any of two different months. Players use these cards to form combinations that will earn them points.
Here’s how a typical turn goes: you play a card from your hand and see if it matches any card already on the table. If it does, great! You get to take both cards and add them to your area. Then, you reveal a new card from the deck. If this new card matches one in your area, you take it too; otherwise, it goes into the display area for all players. The fun part comes from trying to collect sets of cards in your area. These sets could be anything from a group of night-themed cards, to animal cards, to weather cards. The more cards in your set, the more points you get.
When you complete a new set, you face a choice: either keep playing and hope to add more to your sets, or “cash out” and score your points for that round. If you cash out, you multiply your points by the number of play tokens you have. This can be a tricky decision because all players except one can decide to cash out, and timing this right can be key to winning.
The game keeps going until someone scores 60 or more points, which immediately ends the game.
The Appeal of Formosa Flowers: Quick to Learn, Fun to Play
If you’re looking for a game that’s easy to carry, quick to learn, and fun to play, Formosa Flowers might just be the ticket. This game, which comfortably accommodates 2-4 players, comes from the creative mind of Lin Chen Yu and the folks over at Soso Studio in Taiwan. Its compact size means you can easily take it wherever you go, and the playtime of 15-30 minutes is ideal for those moments when you’re looking for a quick dose of fun.
The simplicity of the rules is a big plus. It’s the kind of game you can explain in a snap, making it accessible to everyone, whether they’re seasoned board gamers or complete newbies. And it’s not just the gameplay that’s appealing; the cards, designed by Kuo Li Chi, are truly beautiful, adding a nice touch of elegance to the game.
Luck plays a big role in Formosa Flowers. While you can strategize to some extent by choosing which cards to play, a lot depends on what you draw from the deck. This can be a double-edged sword; on one hand, it adds an element of surprise and excitement, but on the other, it can be a bit frustrating if luck isn’t on your side, especially if you find yourself missing out on forming pairs repeatedly.
The game’s pace is notably swift, often ending sooner than you might expect, thanks to the way points can suddenly spike. This is largely due to the multiplier effect. Some players might choose to play it safe and cash out early, possibly with a multiplier of just 1 or 2. Others might take more risks, accumulating tokens that can lead to multipliers as high as 4 or 8, making it possible to hit that 60-point goal in a surprisingly quick and dramatic fashion.
Final Thoughts on Formosa Flowers
Formosa Flowers is a delightful little game that’s easy to get into and doesn’t drag on. It comes with easy-to-learn gameplay, portability, and visual appeal, making it a great pick for anyone looking for a light and engaging game. It’s designed to be inclusive, giving every player a fair shot at winning, regardless of their experience level. So, if you enjoy games that are fast to play and have a unique aesthetic, Formosa Flowers could be well worth your time.
📝 Disclaimer: Our review is based on a complimentary copy provided by the publisher, Taiwan Boardgame Design.
