Back in 2019, Elizabeth Hargrave released Wingspan. This board game about managing a bird reserve sold almost 750k copies in 2021. Hargrave’s newest project, Undergrove, seems ready to repeat that success as it has already been funded on Kickstarter.
The Undergrove Kickstarter campaign
According to the official Kickstarter campaign, Undergrove is a game about growing fungus. Players take on the role of mature Douglas-fir trees in the Pacific Northwest of North America.
The goal is to establish a symbiotic network of seedlings and fungi known as mycorrhizas. The player that has grown the most successful set of seedlings with the most valuable symbiotic relationships wins the game.
Overall, Undergrove seems to continue Hargrave’s eye for ecology and natural beauty in board game format.
Joining Hargrave for this project is Mark Wootton. Wootton has worked with Hargrave in the past, both with Wingspan and her earlier game about monarch butterflies, Mariposas.
Wootton’s design credits include being a designer for multiple AEG titles, including Legend of the Five Rings.
As for what is available in the Undergrove Kickstarter campaign for early adopters, there are some enticing offers.
In addition to stretch goals adding more content and new artwork by Beth Sobel, there are special festive Christmas tree pieces. Just in time for the holiday season.
Then there’s the deluxe edition of Undergrove. This Kickstarter-exclusive version features upgraded wooden components and a silver embossed deluxe box.
The pledge levels for Undergrove are as follows:
- Standard for $39: A standard physical copy of the game, the micro expansion Whispering Woods, and all unlocked stretch goals
- Mycologist for $69: A deluxe edition of the game and the micro expansion Whispering Woods.
Please note that the prices for both of those pledges do not account for shipping and handling costs. Bear that in mind before you back the project.
At the time of writing, Undergrove has met its funding goal almost sixteen times over. It has raised $159,661, dwarfing its goal of $10,000. The campaign ends December 8.
