Solstis Board Game

A Mountain Journey of Tiles, Spirits, and Strategy

Solstis is a landscape-building tile game that draws its core capture mechanics from the elegant tradition of hanafuda, reimagined as a journey across a mountain valley. You're assembling terrain, lighting fires on peaks, and earning the favour of forest spirits — all while keeping a close eye on what you're leaving behind for your opponent. It plays quickly, sets up faster, and delivers a remarkably zen experience for something with genuine strategic depth.

How the Game Plays

On your turn, you collect tiles according to their column or row, then place them into your growing landscape. The goal is to reconstruct that landscape in a way that scores the most points — but it's never just about your own board. Every decision you make feeds or starves your opponent's options. You'll need to optimize your placements while denying theirs, a push-and-pull that keeps both players fully engaged from the first tile to the last. Form tile squares to collect spirit tokens that provide advantages mid-game or boost your final score.

Built for the Table, Welcoming to New Players

Solstis is designed for adults and children alike, making it a strong choice for family game nights or as an introduction to tile-placement and area strategy for newer players. The hanafuda-inspired capture mechanic gives experienced gamers something familiar to build on, while the mountain-and-valley theme makes the rules feel intuitive even for those encountering the concept for the first time. Setup is minimal — the kind of game you can get to the table without a rehearsal round.

A Game Worth Gifting

If you're looking for something that rewards careful thinking without demanding a long rules session, Solstis fits that brief. It's compact, visually distinctive, and offers genuine replayability through the shifting tile landscape each game produces. A great pick for anyone who enjoys abstract strategy, nature-themed games, or the quiet satisfaction of a well-built landscape.