If you live in any country in the world, there will be areas of untouched beauty. From tigers to birds, to trees and hidden caves. Nature has many gems hidden away for us to discover. Using the theme of nature in any board game is not a new concept. With animals to learn to journey into the unknown, there are countless board games with these themes. A few years ago, another game was added, but it made an impression. Now a Top 200 game on Boardgamegeek, PARKS has recently released its second edition. With a new board and inclusion of all the expansions, it takes the first game and tweaks it to further perfection.
PARKS is a game based in the USA, where you hike through rain and sun to discover the National Parks of America. Since the conception of Yellowstone back in 1872, National Parks have shaped the US landscape. With many being added each year, this game features every single possible park as of 2024. From underwater reefs to vistas on Zion, you’ll encounter terrain and possible wild animals too.
Introverted Hikers on the Same Route
PARKS is a worker placement game where you acquire resources such as sun tokens, water, trees, mountains, and wildlife (which can be used for any other resource).
Additionally, there are opportunities to fill your canteen or water bottle, providing an opportunity for extra resources. Plus, you can take pictures for points and purchase gear for discounts and benefits at certain locations. There are nine locations on the board, with eight randomised each round. The game is played over three rounds: Spring, Summer, and Fall. The winner is whoever has the highest score at the end of the game.
Each location has a specific function. There is a mountain tile to collect that resource and opportunities to take pictures or fill your canteen. But most importantly is the PARKS action. Most of the points in the game come from these. When you visit this middle space on the board, you can exchange your resources to purchase one of the three Parks on display. Or you can reserve it to visit later if you don’t have the resources right now. Each Park contains a unique combination of resources. Some require, like Everglades, four water icons, others require a bit of everything. These then score you between three and seven points depending on the resources required.
Like other worker placement titles, once someone is at a location, it is blocked from use. Cleverly, the designer has included the option to burn your campfire so you can share the same space. However, this feature can only be used once per round. I mentioned the gear earlier, and these items provide additional resources or opportunities to relight fires at specific locations. All gear items cost sun tokens, which, alongside water tokens, are placed at the start of each round.
Outside of Park purchasing, water tokens are used to fill your canteens. These have resources on them in exchange for one water. Each row has two spaces, so you can easily gain extra resources on your actions. This is a necessity in larger play counts where weather tokens are taken by other players and are great for efficiency.
Trailblazers
PARKS’ strengths lie in its replayability, relaxed feel, scalability, and theme. Firstly, replayability within the game is thought through. With randomised locations and season objectives, the game always has something different to pursue. Like many heavy games, you have the option to choose between two end-game scoring conditions. However, these conditions can be used to provide discounts on the cost of Parks. For example, the Botanist requires three tree icons on visited parks, but you can either score one point per park with a tree or reduce further parks with a tree icon.
Next is the relaxed feel, with camping in the night and gentle, simple turns; this game avoids analysis paralysis. Games are quick to play even with large groups thanks to the reduced level of admin in each turn. With such an engaging theme, the game always has something to discover. From new facts about parks to combinations of gear, you’ll forever have something to satisfy your mind.
Scalability here has been added with the game’s vast options of solo to five players. With different rules for four- to five-player games, to ease congested locations. This game shines at the three-player count. It feels just right at this player count with the headache of unlit fires round one, but the competitive nature of larger play counts. However, every play counts feels welcoming and fun. Even solo games and the two-player variant work well. I personally don’t include the automated hiker as a third player in the two-player version, but that is simply preference across all games.
Finally, the theme, what an amazing job Eswitch has done on the artwork. Every detail of the new game board has been thought about. The art too, for those Parks, is a key feature of the game. With custom-coloured wooden tokens and tree-shaped organisers, this game has it all. It is definitely a game where posters and stickers of the game are as beautiful as the tabletop experience. Keymaster is known for its production levels, and this game has everything to draw you in.
An All-Weather Experience
Before we draw this review to a close, there are a few things I have not mentioned yet. Specifically, the introduction of the camping and volunteer projects in the game. Camping is an option you can take instead of visiting an action. These camping spots offer great transactions of resources when you require them. I like that it can be added or taken away as these extra features like photos, gear, and camping can easily be forgotten about. However, in the name of efficiency and getting the most out of turns, these actions are not a distraction but an enhancement for those willing to put in the effort.
The volunteer projects make the life of a camper more difficult. From carbon offsetting, where you’re required to pay additional resources on top of your visited parks. These make the game more challenging but provide benefits for those who complete them at the end of the game.
I think PARKS has all the elements of a Platinum standard game. From fantastic artwork and components to interesting and diverse gameplay. The formula of collecting and spending resources never gets old as each park is different and each season has its own focus. This game is great for families and entry-level Euro gamers. The rules of the standard out-of-the-box game have just enough complexity but are forgiving of new players’ mistakes. For established players, there is the option of those modules, a welcome sight at times!
For games that have the same feel as PARKS, I would suggest Wingspan or even Carcassonne, which has elements of DNA in this one. Further, this game provides a stepping stone to Galactic Cruises, also by Keymaster, and heavier worker placement titles. PARKS stands out in the sea of worker placements because of its theme. But make no mistake, this isn’t just a lick of paint; every aspect of the game has been considered and refined. With player interaction and block too, this one can get competitive without the need for shouting. With a quick play time and zero downtime, this game breezes past like a good stroll in your favourite park.
