Thrive 🪷
Designer⚙️: Martin Grider
Artist🎨: Shirley Gong
[ @adamsapplegames ] 2 players
Abstract games, to me, are a unique bunch. Out of the simplest of components, often shapes, wood pieces, an uncomplicated board, can spring an immense amount of depth. Thrive has found a place in our home as a curious thing.
In Thrive your pieces start with one possible move: One space forward. Easy enough. On your turn however once you move a piece you must place two pegs on ANY of your "lotus flowers". This in turn gives those pieces new possible moves in the future. That's it. You do this the entire game until your opponent has one "lotus flower" left or you both have exactly two flowers left and you cannot place anymore pegs. Whomever reaches one of those goals wins.
It's absolutely, deceptively simple. Having to think multiple moves ahead can at times be very intense, hoping you can guard your flowers while also being on the offensive. It's chess, but in which your pieces moves evolve over time.
It's elegant, beautiful, and thinky. It's all it needs to be and no more than that.
