Earth Day is here which means that it is time to bring you a list of our favorite board games inspired by nature, sustainability, and this planet we call home. Be sure to check out this collection if you want to engine build, puzzle solve, and strategize your way across our favorite Blue Planet.

About: In this majestic engine builder, players each aim to craft their own self-supporting engine by using the natural wonders of this planet we call home. The rules are simple and the possibilities for strategy and discovery are endless. With every game, you uncover new synergies and connections, just as our vast and fascinating world allows us to do! 

Game Info:

• Why Play It On Earth Day: A beautiful engine builder with an emphasis on nature

• Type: Nature Card Game

• Number of Players: 1-5

• Age: 10+

• Time To Play: 45-90 minutes

About: Your goal is to develop renewable power plants in various countries to make them carbon neutral. You will first need to ‘activate’ a country, which lets you build renewable power plants within it but adds its CO2 output - literally! - to the Terraternity globe. You’ll need to make sure this globe stays balanced - too many CO2 cubes, and you risk a climate disaster - while also balancing that country’s CO2 footprint. Successfully balance enough countries before time runs out or disaster strikes, and you win!

Game Info:

• Why Play It On Earth Day: This is a strategic euro-style game of combating climate change

• Type: Strategic euro-style game of combating climate change with a touch of dexterity available in both competitive and cooperative game modes.

• Number of Players: 2-4 players

• Age: 14+

• Time To Play: 90-120 minutes

About: Energetic was originally created as a tool to understand the challenges of decarbonizing NYC but evolved into a game that combines a well-built theme, careful design, and rewarding gameplay into a comprehensive glimpse of the future. Energetic’s combination of engrossing mechanics and powerful messaging will have you taking on the challenge of carbon neutrality as many times as can fit in one game night!

Game Info:

• Why Play It On Earth Day: A city building game that looks to a sustainable future

• Type: City building

• Number of Players: 4-6 players

• Age: 11+

About: Cellulose is a brilliantly themed game that takes traditional worker-placement mechanics and uses them to both create an exciting board game and a worthwhile educational experience. After all, who wouldn’t want to use plant cell components to enact a devastating strategy and outplay your competition? Cellulose is the standalone sequel to Cytosis (2017) and expands its systems, allowing players greater control over available resources, strategic paths, and even game length.

Game Info:

• Why Play It On Earth Day: A fun and educational game that focuses on understanding plant cells

• Type: Plant Cell Biology, worker placement game

• Number of Players: 1-5 players

• Age: 14+

• Time To Play: 45-90 minutes

About: Grove is the citrusy sequel to the award-winning Orchard 9 card solitaire game. This game takes the concept of a fruity solitaire experience and ups that challenge and excitement with a collection of new mechanics and a brand new, Earth Day-ready theme. The result is a great card game that will have you playing over and over again!

Game Info:

• Why Play It On Earth Day: A meditative cardgame that takes place in a fruit orchard

• Type: Orchard themed card solitaire game

• Number of Players: 1

• Age: 14+

• Time To Play: 10 minutes

About: In this beautiful painting-themed game, players gain renown by hiking to beautiful locations to capture landscapes, which they’ll later sell. throughout the course of the game, each player will use a collection of well-balanced and strategic mechanics to travel through the wilderness, paint, and earn Renown. Only by collecting as much renown as possible can you become the next great landscape artist and outplay the competition!

Game Info:

• Why Play It On Earth Day: A beautiful game that will be sure to make you appreciate natural landscapes

• Type: A set collection game about painting landscapes

• Number of Players: 1- 4 players

• Age: 8+

• Time To Play: 20 minutes

Images From Pencil First’s Website

About: WILD: Serengeti is a board game that lets you make a nature documentary about the endless plains of the Serengeti. WILD combines the joy of puzzle-solving with elements of set-collection and engine-building to create a deep and unique strategic experience. Only by mastering all of these elements can you create the best documentary to gain victory! With its mesmerizing artwork, 3D components, and detailed animeeples, WILD will guide you straight into the vivid and breathtaking wilds of the Serengeti.

Game Info:

• Why Play It On Earth Day: An exciting game taking place in one of the Earth’s wildest places

• Type: Animal-themed puzzle-solving game with elements of set-collection and engine-building

• Number of Players: 1-4 players

• Age: 14+

• Time To Play: 30- 120 minutes

About: In this collection-based board game for 1-4 players, you are given one simple goal: collect flowers. From there you must pair your prized pickings with strategic card choices to ensure the most victory points. Floriferous is based around a simple but ingenious collection mechanic that is paired with deeper layers of strategy, absolutely breathtaking art, and collection-driven scoring to create beautiful & compelling choices every turn. With this wonderful experience waiting for you, we recommend pouring a cup of tea, relaxing, and enjoying this elegant tabletop experience!

Game Info:

• Why Play It On Earth Day: A relaxing game that focuses on your very own garden

• Type: Garden themed cards and collection game

• Number of Players: 1-4 players

• Age: 14+

• Time To Play: 20 minutes

Images From Pencil First’s Website

About: First Ascent is a well-thought-out, stats-based board game that finally gives rock climbing the tabletop incarnation it deserves. This game is exciting, rewarding, and, most importantly, is a faithful representation of the one activity everyone wants to try, but might be a little afraid of! After throwing in incredible artwork, inclusivity, and harmonious integration of theme and mechanics, First Ascent becomes a must-play.

Game Info:

• Why Play It On Earth Day: An intense game that will inspire you to get outside

• Type: Rock climbing-themed strategic board game

• Number of Players: 2-5 players

• Age: 14+

• Time To Play: 45-90 minutes

About: KAWA is a game about flow but it is also a game about slowing down, chilling out, and enjoying a low-key game night. In this game, players are tasked with guiding petals as they drift in the current, scoring points along the way. Using a combination of different tile-laying mechanics, each player must avoid other petals and master each game’s flow. And, with special effect tiles and a constantly shifting game board, each game of KAWA is guaranteed to be a unique, memorable, and peaceful experience!

Game Info:

• Why Play It On Earth Day: A meditative journey through beautiful flowers and ponds

• Type: Flowing petal tile game

• Number of Players: 2-to-4 players

• Age: 12+

• Time To Play: 45 minutes

What are your favorite Earth-friendly games?

Comment below and let us know!