Harvesting New Fruit in Grove and Standing Out from the Old
Harvest lemons, limes, and oranges in a colorful challenge to overlap matching fruit trees in Grove: A 9 Card Solitaire Game.
Not surprisingly, my next solo game to return to was Grove: A 9 Card Solitaire Game! This is more than just a different set of fruit, though. It features empty spaces, or groves, for more flexibility and strategy, along with a recipe mode for a new sort of challenge. I was excited to get back to this one, as its almost neon colors woke me right up so I was ready to play!
Game Overview
Game Name: Grove: A 9 Card Solitaire Game
Publication Year: 2021
Designer: Mark Tuck
Artist: Mark Tuck
Publisher: Side Room Games
Solo Mode: Designed for Solo (Included in the Base Game)
A trio of fruit trees exist on the cards, which overlap in order to increase the values on the dice. Just 9 cards make up each play, so collecting a lot of fruit can be difficult! There is a standard mode of play, and a recipe challenge to introduce goals and bonuses. Lots of elements to enjoy in this one!
First Play
July 16, 2022
Complexity
2
Latest Play
September 23, 2026
Expansions
0
Setup Time
Almost None
Lifetime Plays
22
Play Time
10 Minutes
High Score
82
Game Area
12" x 12"
Low Score
42
A Fruit Cart Stroll
It’s the return of the fruit cart! Reminds me that I need to get the popcorn tricycle back to my table soon… Who can forget that?! An adorable Calico Critter couple stopped by.
I had tons of oranges to match and a lone lemon. The lime had to be represented in the only way I knew how: Lime-flavored lollipops! Including one in a bouquet. Accurate. Ha!
My love of the original means this game exists in a space where I constantly make comparisons. Which do I prefer?
Another thoughtful question I pondered as I played. Was this going to be a farewell session to this colorful game?
Following Recipes
If this only offered up the same standard mode of play, there might be the case to part with it. Yet when I switched over to include the recipes, I had such a great time! So much fun!
The goals gave me a little more direction than simply overlapping the most cards. I liked how the target score was just a matter of adding up the pair of recipe cards. Easy.
I felt like the recipe cards also added a little more flair to the art. Not that it’s needed, yet these illustrations were cute!
My scores needed a little work, and I had to play a few times before I succeeded with a victory. Definitely more difficult.
A Squirrel Driver?
Beep beep! My fruit fields were overrun by a rather fast squirrel, who managed to steal the wheelbarrow for a bit of a joyride. My goodness! What is in those limes?! Ha ha!
These wooden components are really nice. The squirrel is the source of negative victory points, but plenty of laughs.
Meanwhile, the wheelbarrow can mark a single fruit tree with a particularly high yield. It’s never guaranteed to be placed, yet those extra victory points are certainly great.
I suppose it’s not desirable for both to be out at the same time during a play. Hence, the squirrel driver here. Ha!
Making the Recipes
With a little bit of rummaging and some slight liberties with the appearance of an ice cream cone, this Calico Critter stopped by to show off everything! And a squirrel watched…
There was a little jar of lemon curd that probably had a bit of orange in it, judging by the color. Delicious! Although there were no sprinkles, a koala-shaped ice cream cone worked!
Again, I enjoyed this one thoroughly and plan to work it into a more usual routine. The recipes were so fun to include!
This one adds a little complexity, yet I enjoyed it. Hurray for another fruit cart sighting with the Calico Critters!
Overcoming The Curse of the Sequel
Perhaps “sequel” isn’t exactly the right term for the second game in a series, although it feels like it falls into a tricky realm of always being compared to the original. It’s hard to beat that, and a lot of things that come second can feel like a step down. I made the obvious comparisons to Orchard: A 9 Card Solitaire Game, yet tried to limit the comparisons early on.
This is its own game that certainly builds on the original, yet goes in its own direction. I like both games for different reasons, which is why I’m ultimately keeping both. That’s not a problem with such small boxes! No surprise that my next post will be about the final game in the trilogy, along with a final assessment about the entire collection. Lots of fun!
Session Overview
Play Number: 15-22
Solo Mode: Designed for Solo (Included in the Base Game)
Outcome: 46, 43, 42, 48, 54, 57, 56, 62 (1 Win & 7 Losses)
My skills weren’t exactly up to par at first, and I had to work extra hard to make this pair of recipes work. I even earned the wheelbarrow at one point, though, so it was a very successful victory! There is a lovely puzzle here with a challenge that doesn’t require too much, but changes along with the recipes. Overlapping the fruit trees with a little freedom from the empty groves was a great time! Glad I returned to this one and discovered why I loved it years ago.
%
20 Plays
Affordability
Price & Value
9
Functionality
Challenges & Mechanics
10
Originality
Design & Theme
5
Quality
Components & Rules
10
Reusability
Achievement & Enjoyment
7
Variability
Distinctness & Randomness
7
+ Pros (Positives)
- Figuring out the best way to use each card is an interesting and relatively quick puzzle that doesn’t get old too quickly.
- Play time is very quick and doesn’t overstay its welcome, often flying by and encouraging a quick reset to play again.
- All of the recipe cards are charming with interesting goals and bonuses to work towards, along with cute artwork.
- Tracking the fruit during play makes final scoring a simple act of adding up the dice pips and wheelbarrow.
- The components are of an excellent quality and fit inside a very small box that’s easy to store or travel with.
- Different numbers of fruit on the trees can add to the challenge of optimizing each card placement for the most fruit.
– Cons (Negatives)
- The white pips on the yellow dice are a little difficult to see at a glance, although they tend to look better in-person.
- Groves are mostly easy to understand, but introduce a few additional rules that take a little time to fully digest.
- Using recipes means the full 18 card deck isn’t as easy to use in quick back-to-back plays, although this is minor.
- Some combinations of recipes can feel more or less difficult, and occasionally come down to relying on a bit of luck.
Victory Conditions
Score 55+ Points or Reach the Victory Threshold
- Overall Goal Progress 100%
Goals and Milestones
Score at least 50 points in the standard mode.
Score at least 55 points in the standard mode.
Score at least 80 points in the recipe mode.
Continue the Conversation
What do you enjoy about Grove: A 9 Card Solitaire Game? Do you prefer to play with or without recipes? Such a great time! I don’t think this tops the original for me, although it’s not necessarily a fair comparison. This one stands on its own, particularly with its new features. And the recipes! Lots of charming artwork to come across in a very fun solo puzzle.
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