For over 300 million years, something magical has been happening beneath our feet. Trees and fungi have formed an underground symbiotic relationship known as mycorrhizas (pronounced my-co-RISE-ahs), where trees trade carbon from photosynthesis in exchange for essential nutrients extracted by fungi from the soil.

Now, science is just beginning to uncover the complexity of this hidden network—where even tree seedlings may benefit from the support of their towering elders via fungal threads.

In UNDER GROVE, you step into the roots of a mature Douglas-fir in the lush forests of the Pacific Northwest. Your goal: help your seedlings grow into thriving trees, supported by a web of fungal partnerships. The tree that cultivates the most successful and symbiotically rich seedling network wins.

A Forest of Strategy

Each turn, you will choose from five core actions, each one offering meaningful choices that shape your path to victory:

• Reproduction: Spend key nutrients like nitrogen, potassium, phosphates, and carbon to place seedlings and roots in the mycorrhizal forest. Strategic placement opens new opportunities.
• Activation: Trigger powerful effects from connected fungi—at a cost. Convert carbon into rewards, and manage your limited fungal action markers wisely.
• Absorption: Allow seedlings to draw carbon from adjacent fungi. Absorb enough, and they grow into full trees, unlocking bonuses and progressing the game toward its conclusion.
• Partnering: Connect roots to more fungi, increasing your absorption potential and enabling new activation routes. Only fungi linked to your seedlings can score!
• Photosynthesis: Refresh your carbon stores and reset used fungal markers (key for planning your next burst of growth).

Despite its accessible rules, the game offers deep tactical potential. Your forest layout, timing of actions, and choice of fungi all influence your strategy. Each game brings fresh challenges thanks to randomized tile setups and changing goal cards.

If it has not already grown on you, you can try the very complete and nice tutorial done by Nekonyancer, or simply start a game by following the link below:

https://boardgamearena.com/gamepanel?game=undergrove

Let's mention that the game is online on Board Game Arena thanks to the authorization of Alderac Entertainment Group (or AEG), and the game designers, Elizabeth Hargrave (author of Wingspan, also available on BGA) & Mark Wootton.

Let's also thank the work done to adapt this game to our platform, which has been beautifully done by MathCT. It's a remarkable job. We highly recommend you play on a large screen for a more comfortable experience, as there is a lot going on on the screen.

What a release!

That's your Wednesday weekly gift!
Treat yourself well, and until next week, as always...
...Take care and play fair!