Jewel Box: A World of Beautifully Illustrated Insects
Arrange a selection of bright and colorful insects from all over the world into a beautiful, organized collection in Jewel Box.
Insects… Not always my favorite theme, but I’ve started to appreciate these tiny denizens more over the years! So although I was hesitant to immerse myself in this artwork, the simple tile placement mechanics of Jewel Box won me over. Besides, a quick look at the illustrations had me more interested than leery, and this new arrival quickly crawled onto my solo table!
Game Overview
Game Name: Jewel Box
Publication Year: 2024
Designer: Zac Loveless
Artist: Megan Galura
Publisher: Lovemore Games
Solo Mode: Included in the Base Game
With simple dice rolls, insects are picked up and placed in a 5×5 grid. Each type has its own scoring parameters, which help shape a collection. A few actions are available to help out in a thematic sense, and the end result is a simply beautiful collection of these insects that shine like jewels!
First Play
July 6, 2025
Complexity
2
Latest Play
July 7, 2025
Expansions
1
Setup Time
5 Minutes
Lifetime Plays
4
Play Time
10 Minutes
High Score
59
Game Area
20" x 22"
Low Score
43
Easy Mechanics
Decisions remain focused on building a collection, as each round’s new tile is determined by a dice roll. Only with a 6 is there any decision point here, which makes it very simple!
The challenge lies in arranging the grid to make the most of every placed insect, while still leaving some room to grow.
I included the expansion from the start, which meant I had a slightly diluted pool of tiles, but I wanted them all! It’s very easy to remove 2 types during setup for a more focused play.
So pretty! I’m not one to love the sight of anything tiny and crawly, but these illustrations are gorgeous.
Spotting the Beauty
Wow! Just taking a moment to look at this grid speaks to the beauty of nature, rather than a scene riddled with insects.
I was quickly won over, and even appreciated some of the less colorful tiles. Absolutely excellent way to admire the pretty scenes that can be discovered from looking closely.
In terms of scoring, I had a little ways to go before I had a winning score, but it didn’t feel too far out of reach!
Figuring out where to place a tile was a fun experience that got more difficult as the play progressed, but play time remained quite short. Easy to reset and play again!
Zooming in for Details
Beautiful. As far as I can tell, every tile is unique and features a different insect. Obviously, the main illustration of the insect takes up the majority of the space. So colorful!
But looking a little more closely, the type icon is easy to find in the upper left. Additionally, this icon is replicated in a faint pattern in the background to help with identification.
Names are included, along with the order and family. These were more flavor text for me, yet I loved seeing the details!
Finally, the bottom right includes a non-intrusive map to show which continents an insect can be found on. Cool!
Insect Appreciation
The rulebook includes some information about the theme and how collecting insects was a trend at some point. However, there is a warning about protecting these species.
Even the bland ones had beautiful details to admire. Just some other inhabitants trying to live their lives nicely!
Well, maybe not all of them… I’ve had a few experiences with some of these insects, and I might classify them as the “extremely rude” section of my collection. Ha ha!
Multiple plays offered the same mechanics, but with a lot of different decisions. My grids never felt exactly the same.
A Bug’s Life: My Fascination with Insects
I remember being very excited to learn more about insects when I was a child. There was the one time when we had a praying mantis slowly work her way across our driveway, and I watched, as closely as my parents would allow, with my hands behind my back and a curious expression. Random and specific memory, but it’s definitely there!
And then I went through a very long phase of fear and hate towards all of them. Granted, I blame some exceptionally rude spiders for my overall issues. Ha ha! Yet it’s just interesting to see how that all changed, although the fascination remained.
Nowadays, I’m mostly neutral or possibly curious, depending on what species I’m looking at. Dragonflies landing outside my window keep me watching as long as I can. A fly? Sorry, not cool enough. Ha! This game made me think about how I react to these tiny creatures. Not that I need to get up close and personal, yet it’s neat to appreciate rather than run away.
Helpful Special Actions
Since the decision space focuses on the arrangement of the tiles, this can lead to some sub-optimal situations. Never fear! There are one-time actions that can be very helpful.
A magnifying glass bypasses the dice roll to choose a tile, while a pair of tweezers allows a pair of tiles already placed in a collection to be swapped. And there is an either / or tool.
These tools provide extra victory points if they aren’t used, yet they can be the best option at certain times.
I loved the reference cards, too, which offered a quick summary of the scoring effects to help during play.
Nice Components
Talk about a pretty die to match the game! Mine is slightly misprinted on the 6-value, with the pips off-center. Just makes it even more exciting when I get to choose a tile!
It was surprising to see everything pre-punched in the box and expansion. Very easy to get it to the table even quicker.
Laying out the tiles around the main board felt a little messy at first, but I honestly enjoyed the thematic idea of uncovering these insects. It worked better than I expected.
The solo mode merely used a die roll to remove a tile each round, which added a little uncertainty and randomness.
Session Overview
Play Number: 1-4
Expansion: Jewel Box: Fluttering Expedition
Solo Mode: Included in the Base Game
Outcome: 54, 52, 43, 59 (4 Losses)
Managed to get close to my personal threshold for victory, but just fell short! This is a great sign, though, as it feels like it will be a battle to pull off a win by arranging these tiles in the best patterns. I loved the experience! And although I usually don’t include an expansion from the start, the added variety gave me more scoring options… And pretty art! I had a great time with this fun, quick solo game with tiles.
%
1 Play
Affordability
Price & Value
8
Functionality
Challenges & Mechanics
10
Originality
Design & Theme
5
Quality
Components & Rules
10
Reusability
Achievement & Enjoyment
7
Variability
Distinctness & Randomness
7
+ Pros (Positives)
- Every illustration is beautiful in its own way, highlighting the beauty that can be found in the tiniest of insects.
- Arranging a collection in a 5×5 grid is interesting in a very relaxing sort of sense, but there are still plenty of choices.
- Managing the solo mode involves an extra dice roll at the end of the round to clear a tile, which is quick and easy.
- Tile icons stand out even amongst the sea of colorful insects to make later tile placements pretty clear.
- Scoring objectives must be thought through carefully with the various insect types and ways they can be arranged.
- Plenty of variety exists, even with just the base game, and special actions can be very helpful near the end of play.
– Cons (Negatives)
- Tiles are mixed face-down and drawn from randomly, but this can get a little messy without a bag to draw from.
- Bad luck can make it impossible to score well at times since gameplay is all about making the most of a collection.
- The reference cards don’t include a note about the special actions with tools, although these are pretty easy to learn.
- Reaching the higher scoring tiers is thankfully challenging, yet it feels like randomness plays a large role.
Victory Conditions
Score 60+ Points
- Overall Goal Progress 0%
Goals and Milestones
Score at least 60 points.
Continue the Conversation
What do you think of Jewel Box? Do you have a favorite insect or type you always enjoy adding to your grid? I thought this was a clever twist on tile placement with the way I rarely had a chance to choose the tile I wanted. Making the most of the tiles I had was a fun challenge within the grid. And I now have a better appreciation for the beauty of tiny insects!
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