--- product_id: 45636297 title: "Blue Orange Games Photosynthesis Board Game - Award Winning Family or Adult Strategy Board Game for 2 to 4 Players. Recommended for Ages 8 & Up." brand: "blue orange" price: "81071CFA" currency: XOF in_stock: true reviews_count: 13 category: "Blue Orange" url: https://www.desertcart.sn/products/45636297-blue-orange-games-photosynthesis-board-game-award-winning-family-adult store_origin: SN region: Senegal --- # Dynamic sun rotation mechanic 3D tree life-cycle growth stages Strategic area control gameplay Blue Orange Games Photosynthesis Board Game - Award Winning Family or Adult Strategy Board Game for 2 to 4 Players. Recommended for Ages 8 & Up. **Brand:** blue orange **Price:** 81071CFA **Availability:** βœ… In Stock ## Summary > 🌲 Grow your legacy, outsmart the forest, and claim the sunlight! ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** Blue Orange Games Photosynthesis Board Game - Award Winning Family or Adult Strategy Board Game for 2 to 4 Players. Recommended for Ages 8 & Up. by blue orange - **How much does it cost?** 81071CFA with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.sn](https://www.desertcart.sn/products/45636297-blue-orange-games-photosynthesis-board-game-award-winning-family-adult) ## Best For - blue orange enthusiasts ## Why This Product - Trusted blue orange brand quality - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Key Features - β€’ **Harness the Power of the Sun:** Collect light points as the sun moves, influencing your growth and shadows. - β€’ **Stunning 3D Components & Art:** Beautifully illustrated trees with unique species and vibrant colors bring the forest to life. - β€’ **Evolve Your Forest Strategically:** Master the life cycle from seedling to harvest with intuitive action points. - β€’ **Family & Adult Friendly Competition:** Ideal for 2-4 players, fostering meaningful interaction and replayability. - β€’ **Engage in Deep Yet Accessible Strategy:** Perfect blend of simple rules and complex tactics for ages 8+. ## Overview Photosynthesis is an award-winning strategy board game for 2-4 players aged 8 and up, where players cultivate trees through their life cycle by collecting light points from a rotating sun. Combining elegant action point mechanics with area control, it offers a visually stunning, deeply strategic experience that educates players on nature’s processes while delivering competitive family and adult gameplay. ## Description In Photosynthesis, take your trees through their life-cycle, from seedling to full bloom to rebirth, and earn light points as their leaves collect energy from the revolving sun’s rays. Carefully pick where you sow and when you grow, as trees in the shadows are blocked from light, and from light points. Players score light points if their trees are in the direct lines of sun rays or taller than the trees blocking them from the sun rays. In a second phase, players use their light points to reserve seeds or trees, then plant or grow them on the board. Points are scored by maturing trees and removing them from the board. Review: Competive forestry, in a box - So after sitting in my closet for 3 months waiting for my wife to pull this out as a father's day gift, I was finally able to play what I call "Happy Little Tree Chess, inspired by Bob Ross." You need to understand going in, I grew up in a Redwood forest and to this day LOVE trees. I am not exactly an objective observer, but rather a passionate gamer and forest lover. So with that caveat, what's the consensus? Much like its titular chemical reaction, Photosynthesis is an complex, brilliant game. If I had to classify Photosynthesis, I would describe it as an action based, economy driven, area control game. Photosynthesis is all about planting seeds, growing trees, having those trees topple down to give you points, and starting all over again, all while fighting for the limited sunlight of the forest. The rules of Photosynthesis are actually simple. At its core, there is a organic component and a economy game mechanic. First, the organic side of things follows a nice pattern. Seeds are 1, trees are 1-2-3, then four to score. To break down what that means: To plant a seed, it always costs one light point. Next, the trees follow a simple 1-2-3//S-M-L breakdown; light points earned, shadows cast, seed-spread range, and cost are all 1-2-3, based on tree size. If you want to score, its 4 light points. Second, there is the economy game mechanic side of things. For obviously mechanical purposes, you need to purchase trees and seeds off your board, place them into your "available area," and THEN and only then can you use them in the organic process of planting and growing. It's the only un-thematic thing of the whole game, but the necessity is obvious to balance the game against the first player simply running board. Each turn, these two core components are carried out via actions. At the start of a turn, players collect light points from their trees. This is affected by shadows, which move based on the sun's position (it moves each turn). Players then use those points to take actions: grow, plant, harvest (organic), or purchase (economy). Because it's based on nature, I found the rules very easy to pick up; just do what a tree would do, and you'll be fine. It's all relatively simple. Until your eight year old daughter throws a seed over your tree, blocks the sun two turns later, slows your plans down, then your realize you can slow HER down by growing a taller tree, only to have your wife harvest a tree and allow sunlight in where you didn't expect it, which lets the brat-child make a bigger tree ahead of you, and you have to write the whole plot of land off to focus on another part of the forest. Let me tell you, the strategy to this game is NOT simple. This is area control at its finest. Your choices at any particular area hurt your opponents, probably will hurt you, might help you if you didn't hurt yourself too badly, and affect other areas as well. It's brilliant. The potential to harm yourself is especially brilliant. That said, there is an obvious mechanic problem with Photosynthesis that needs to be addressed. This is abstract strategy at its finest, which means of course that you will have analysis paralysis at its slowest. [Example: I just spent 5 minutes contemplating how the payoff from reaching the middle space may be mitigated entirely by the shadow effects that hit your own trees.] In paralysis situations, I find that theme makes or breaks the game for a group. For me, I can stare at trees and plot my forest (pun entirely intended). You may not enjoy that nearly as much. In fact, I doubt my wife will play this a ton with me because she likes high-interaction games. Be forewarned! I don't want to end on a grumpy note, so before I sign off for this review, let me also say that the storage is atrocious. The trees fit in the assigned areas, but not well. You are stacking them, and they are so stinking pretty (see below) that I have concerns about that. On top of that, the player boards and the game mat are smaller than their assigned area, so things constantly shake around in the box. My solution: use another box. Bottom line is that you can make it work, but you'll probably be happier with your own concoction. As a final note, the art to this game needs as much recognition as I can give it. The coloring is phenomenal. There are small birds and foxes on most of the trees. The deciduous trees get the green, orange and yellow, with the conifer having a nice blue hue that rings of northern snows. Each tree type has unique art for its seed. Most importantly, all the trees are 3D. This game is an absolute joy to look at. I will try to bring this out as often as possible on cold wintery days. In Photosynthesis, the forest truly comes to life. May the best forester win.... Review: Fresh concept! Beautiful art! Great execution! Exceptional game! - We played a new game! Photosynthesis Created by Hjalmar Hach Beautifully illustrated by Sabrina Miramon Distributed by @blueorangegames . 🌳 . In the game, Photosynthesis, you are The God Father of your mafia tree family. You control tree growth and seed planting! You tell your trees who to block out, and when to spend light points, where to the expand your territory, who to retire to get the most points possible! As the head of the esteemed Pine tree family, the Maple family is your biggest enemy, and the Shady Oaks are creeping in on your territory, so you gotta put them back in their place as well!! . 🌳 . This is one way to describe Photosynthesis to boardgame normies. Because apparently they won't understand why you are so excited to play your new board game about being trees! But they just need a little learning. . 🌲 . This is not a boring, travel around the board and pay rent game, because life already sucks with rent and endless cycles, Monopoly! Let's just be Trees for a bit! . 🌲 . I don't stay on top of board game award shows, but if I were a critic this game would get my acclaim! Growing trees in a forest is a fresh take on resource management games! And I love resource management games! This one is a new favorite! The resources are simple, light, and space; yet, the strategy is complex enough to be interesting! The recommended age group for this game is 8 and up, and I would agree! This game is simple enough to be understandable and enjoyed by most eight year olds, but the strategy is in depth enough that your going to want to play it even without the kids! . 🌳 . So if you are looking for a new game, and you should be... don't hesitate to pick up this fantastic game from Blue Orange! #analogvideogames ## Features - Strategy board game: Photosynthesis is one of the best environmental board games referring to the life cycle of trees, for science and biology enthusiasts. This best-selling board game has an amazing table presence with an ever-changing forest - Family or adult strategy game: This 2 to 4 players nature inspired game can be enjoyed by parents playing with their children as well as adults, also plays very well as a 2 players abstract board game. Best recommended for ages 8 & up - How to play: Photosynthesis uses an action points allowance system mechanism. Take your trees through their life-cycle, from seedling to full bloom to rebirth, and Earn light points as their leaves collect energy from the revolving sun’S rays - Photosynthesis was one of the top rated board games when it was released at gen con. It is easy to play for families enjoying other blue orange classic and award winning board games like king domino, planet, New York 1901 ## Technical Specifications | Specification | Value | |---------------|-------| | ASIN | B074K5W5N5 | | Additional Features | Portable | | Age Range Description | 96 months to 1188 months | | Best Sellers Rank | #95,453 in Toys & Games ( See Top 100 in Toys & Games ) #2,038 in Board Games (Toys & Games) | | Brand Name | blue orange | | CPSIA Cautionary Statement | Choking Hazard - Small Parts, No Warning Applicable | | Color | Green | | Customer Package Type | Standard Packaging | | Customer Reviews | 4.7 out of 5 stars 3,664 Reviews | | Edition | Standard Edition | | Educational Objective | To teach players about photosynthesis and the life cycle of trees | | Game Mechanics | Action Points, Area Control | | Genre | Nature | | Global Trade Identification Number | 00803979054001 | | Included Components | 1 Game Board 1 Sun Segment 4 Player Boards 1 First Player Token 24 Scoring Tokens 4 Sun Marker Tokens 24 Seed Tokens (6 of each species) 32 Small Trees (8 of each species) 16 Medium Trees (4 of each species) 8 Big Trees (2 of each species) Illustrated Rules | | Indoor Outdoor Usage | Indoor | | Item Dimensions | 3.5 x 11.8 x 11.8 inches | | Item Dimensions L x W | 11.8"L x 11.8"W | | Item Length | 9.5 inches | | Item Type Name | Award Winning Family or Adult Strategy Board game for 2 to 4 players. Recommended for ages 8 & Up. | | Item Weight | 4 pounds | | Language | English | | Manufacturer | Blue Orange | | Manufacturer Part Number | 05400 | | Manufacturer Warranty Description | No Warranty | | Manufacturer recommended age | 8 years and up | | Material Type | Cardboard | | Minimum Age Recomendation | 96 | | Model Number | 05400 | | Number of Items | 1 | | Number of Packs | 1 | | Number of Players | 2-4 | | Operation Mode | manual | | Rulebook Availability | Digital Web | | Set Name | Photosynthesis Board Game | | Size | Basic | | Theme | Action,Forest | | UPC | 803979054001 | | Unit Count | 1 Count | ## Images ![Blue Orange Games Photosynthesis Board Game - Award Winning Family or Adult Strategy Board Game for 2 to 4 Players. Recommended for Ages 8 & Up. - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/91m0aoknERL.jpg) ## Available Options This product comes in different **Style** options. ## Questions & Answers **Q: what's the difference between the basic and premium versions?** A: There are no premium version sold directly from Blue Orange Games, however some private sellers might be offering expansion packs with the regular version. **Q: How difficult is this for someone who has NO board game experience? (I know that’s a mean question.)** A: It's not mean, it's considerate. If it is too heavy to start out on, they will be scared away. Crawl before you walk! This game is a great entry level game. Concepts are really easy to understand. My wife and I game a lot but she really enjoys the 30-45 min games that don't go super deep. One of her favorites is Carcassonne because she just really likes the games that are quick and you can play a few games back to back. This game is one of those games. Light and fun, and really good. I bought this one for her because she likes these type of games. We play this one a lot. This falls right in with games like Ticket to Ride and Catan, because there is strategy in the game and not just a bunch of random chance. We love this game! **Q: Can this game be played with 2 people?** A: Yes it can! I believe you can play with 2-4 players. **Q: What is the age range for this game?** A: That depends. We have an 8-year old niece who could handle the game just fine, but she is pretty exceptional. On average, my guess would be 12 and up. The game isn't hard, but it's very spatial. ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Competive forestry, in a box *by H***T on June 18, 2018* So after sitting in my closet for 3 months waiting for my wife to pull this out as a father's day gift, I was finally able to play what I call "Happy Little Tree Chess, inspired by Bob Ross." You need to understand going in, I grew up in a Redwood forest and to this day LOVE trees. I am not exactly an objective observer, but rather a passionate gamer and forest lover. So with that caveat, what's the consensus? Much like its titular chemical reaction, Photosynthesis is an complex, brilliant game. If I had to classify Photosynthesis, I would describe it as an action based, economy driven, area control game. Photosynthesis is all about planting seeds, growing trees, having those trees topple down to give you points, and starting all over again, all while fighting for the limited sunlight of the forest. The rules of Photosynthesis are actually simple. At its core, there is a organic component and a economy game mechanic. First, the organic side of things follows a nice pattern. Seeds are 1, trees are 1-2-3, then four to score. To break down what that means: To plant a seed, it always costs one light point. Next, the trees follow a simple 1-2-3//S-M-L breakdown; light points earned, shadows cast, seed-spread range, and cost are all 1-2-3, based on tree size. If you want to score, its 4 light points. Second, there is the economy game mechanic side of things. For obviously mechanical purposes, you need to purchase trees and seeds off your board, place them into your "available area," and THEN and only then can you use them in the organic process of planting and growing. It's the only un-thematic thing of the whole game, but the necessity is obvious to balance the game against the first player simply running board. Each turn, these two core components are carried out via actions. At the start of a turn, players collect light points from their trees. This is affected by shadows, which move based on the sun's position (it moves each turn). Players then use those points to take actions: grow, plant, harvest (organic), or purchase (economy). Because it's based on nature, I found the rules very easy to pick up; just do what a tree would do, and you'll be fine. It's all relatively simple. Until your eight year old daughter throws a seed over your tree, blocks the sun two turns later, slows your plans down, then your realize you can slow HER down by growing a taller tree, only to have your wife harvest a tree and allow sunlight in where you didn't expect it, which lets the brat-child make a bigger tree ahead of you, and you have to write the whole plot of land off to focus on another part of the forest. Let me tell you, the strategy to this game is NOT simple. This is area control at its finest. Your choices at any particular area hurt your opponents, probably will hurt you, might help you if you didn't hurt yourself too badly, and affect other areas as well. It's brilliant. The potential to harm yourself is especially brilliant. That said, there is an obvious mechanic problem with Photosynthesis that needs to be addressed. This is abstract strategy at its finest, which means of course that you will have analysis paralysis at its slowest. [Example: I just spent 5 minutes contemplating how the payoff from reaching the middle space may be mitigated entirely by the shadow effects that hit your own trees.] In paralysis situations, I find that theme makes or breaks the game for a group. For me, I can stare at trees and plot my forest (pun entirely intended). You may not enjoy that nearly as much. In fact, I doubt my wife will play this a ton with me because she likes high-interaction games. Be forewarned! I don't want to end on a grumpy note, so before I sign off for this review, let me also say that the storage is atrocious. The trees fit in the assigned areas, but not well. You are stacking them, and they are so stinking pretty (see below) that I have concerns about that. On top of that, the player boards and the game mat are smaller than their assigned area, so things constantly shake around in the box. My solution: use another box. Bottom line is that you can make it work, but you'll probably be happier with your own concoction. As a final note, the art to this game needs as much recognition as I can give it. The coloring is phenomenal. There are small birds and foxes on most of the trees. The deciduous trees get the green, orange and yellow, with the conifer having a nice blue hue that rings of northern snows. Each tree type has unique art for its seed. Most importantly, all the trees are 3D. This game is an absolute joy to look at. I will try to bring this out as often as possible on cold wintery days. In Photosynthesis, the forest truly comes to life. May the best forester win.... ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Fresh concept! Beautiful art! Great execution! Exceptional game! *by A***. on August 16, 2020* We played a new game! Photosynthesis Created by Hjalmar Hach Beautifully illustrated by Sabrina Miramon Distributed by @blueorangegames . 🌳 . In the game, Photosynthesis, you are The God Father of your mafia tree family. You control tree growth and seed planting! You tell your trees who to block out, and when to spend light points, where to the expand your territory, who to retire to get the most points possible! As the head of the esteemed Pine tree family, the Maple family is your biggest enemy, and the Shady Oaks are creeping in on your territory, so you gotta put them back in their place as well!! . 🌳 . This is one way to describe Photosynthesis to boardgame normies. Because apparently they won't understand why you are so excited to play your new board game about being trees! But they just need a little learning. . 🌲 . This is not a boring, travel around the board and pay rent game, because life already sucks with rent and endless cycles, Monopoly! Let's just be Trees for a bit! . 🌲 . I don't stay on top of board game award shows, but if I were a critic this game would get my acclaim! Growing trees in a forest is a fresh take on resource management games! And I love resource management games! This one is a new favorite! The resources are simple, light, and space; yet, the strategy is complex enough to be interesting! The recommended age group for this game is 8 and up, and I would agree! This game is simple enough to be understandable and enjoyed by most eight year olds, but the strategy is in depth enough that your going to want to play it even without the kids! . 🌳 . So if you are looking for a new game, and you should be... don't hesitate to pick up this fantastic game from Blue Orange! #analogvideogames ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ An amazing no-luck strategy game with a very original theme *by J***S on November 29, 2022* This game may seem cute and simple at first, but it is much deeper than many other strategy games I played. If you love these types of games but feel a little thrown off by the theme, do yourself a favor and give this a chance. The player interaction is never lacking, as either you want it or not, after the "opening" stage of the game, on each of your turns the choice you made is going to affect another player (in a bad) one way or the other. The design and the gameplay are so elegant, and the price I bought it at was simply ridiculous (a little over 20$), which makes this game one of my best buys ever. Unfortunately, in my case, it doesn't see the table too often as you need people that love deep strategic thinking in order to really enjoy this at its full potential, and those type of people in my circle don't really feel attracted by the theme. But if you know at least other 2 people (because I think this game is really enjoyable only with at least 3 players) that love strategy AND trees, then I envy you greatly. ## Frequently Bought Together - Blue Orange Games Photosynthesis Board Game - Award Winning Family or Adult Strategy Board Game for 2 to 4 Players. Recommended for Ages 8 & Up. - AEG & Flatout Games | Cascadia - Award-Winning Board Game Set in the Pacific Northwest | Easy to Learn | Quick to Play | Ages 10+ - Azul Board Game - Strategic Tile-Placement Game for Family Fun, Great Game for Kids and Adults, Ages 8+, 2-4 Players, 30-45 Minute Playtime, Made by Plan B Games --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - πŸ›’ **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** β€” Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** β€” Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - πŸ’° **No Hidden Fees** β€” All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - πŸ”„ **15-Day Free Returns** β€” Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - πŸ”’ **Secure Payments** β€” Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** β€” Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.sn/products/45636297-blue-orange-games-photosynthesis-board-game-award-winning-family-adult](https://www.desertcart.sn/products/45636297-blue-orange-games-photosynthesis-board-game-award-winning-family-adult) --- *Product available on Desertcart Senegal* *Store origin: SN* *Last updated: 2026-09-30*