Morels Card Game
$24.99
Morels at a Glance
| Game Type Strategy Card Game Nature Theme | Play Time 30 mins (approx) | Skill/Complexity (2 - 5) Light |
| Age 10+ | Publisher(s) Two Lantern Games | Published 2012 |
| Categories 2 Player / Strategy / Family | Players 2 Players | Rules Manual Rules PDF |
| Our Rating 9/10 | Cost $24.99 approx |
Certain mushroom types are plentiful but others are harder to find which is where an element of unpredictability comes in. Not only that, but opportunities to pick them are limited, so you’ll need to compete with your opponent to collect the most valuable varieties you can to get the most points.
About – Description
Finding 2 player games that are quick to set up as well as straight-forward and fun to play isn’t always easy – but Morels absolutely nails it.
Involving strategy, forward planning and a certain amount of luck, you “forage” for mushrooms which you either sell or cook to make your way through the game – avoid the poisonous ones though!
With super simple mechanics and very pretty artwork to boot, Morels is a relatively quick game that takes only around 30 minutes to complete.
Who’s it best suited For?
Designed specifically to play in a couple, Morels is fast-paced, fun and sure to hold your attention whether you’re 10 years old or 100!
Skill – Complexity
Once you get your head around what you’re doing, Morels is a fairly simple game with minimal complexity although it does require some strategic thinking and counting. This makes it perfect for families and couples and is suitable for children of 10 years and older.
Set Up – Playing Rules & Instructions
Setting up
Inside the box you’ll find:
- 84 day cards
- 8 night cards
- 2 guide cards
- 20 foraging sticks cards
- 2 pan tokens
- A rulebook
Each player starts off with a hand of 4 cards from the shuffled day deck. Then the “forest” is set out (the forest being 8 cards in a row laid out between you both) on the table in front of you. The game can now begin.
Object of the Game
Once the last card from the “forest” has been taken, the game is over and it’s time to count up the points. Start with the flavor points from all the mushrooms you managed to cook. In the boxes on the upper right and left of each card (immediately below the little pan symbol) you’ll be able to see exactly how many flavor points each cooked mushroom is worth.
When you’re counting up, remember night cards are worth double points. Don’t forget that butter and cider are worth additional points too. At the end of the counting, the player who has gathered the most flavor points wins the game.
In case of a tie, the player who has managed to cook the largest number of mushrooms will be the winner.
Playing Instructions
The idea of Morels is that you collect tasty morels which you either sell or cook for yourself in order to gain points. The game itself is made up of a set of cards and some cardboard tokens with sticks on (the game’s currency). Additionally, each player gets a frying pan.
The cards are split into two decks, with 88 cards in the day deck and 8 in the special night deck; it’s the night deck – called the “forest” – that’s laid face-down next to the main playing area. The two cards at the right of the forest are can be foraged for no cost, however cards on the left of them are available at a cost of 6 sticks to forage them.
After each player has played, the forest shifts so that the card furthest on the right falls into the “decay” area, and the cards that remain move over to fill in the empty spaces. Therefore, the card you need or want might not be around for long, even if your opponent doesn’t get it first!
Versions – Editions
A second printing of the first edition of Morels came out in 2013, alongside versions translated into multiple different languages including Bulgarian, Spanish, Polish, Chinese and Portuguese. Note that with these other versions, the game name “Morels” is actually called “Fungi” although it’s essentially the same game. Additionally, the “Morals: Foray” expansion was launched in 2017.
Likes & Dislikes
Morels is a beautifully themed card game, portraying a stroll through the woods foraging for mushrooms; it rewards those who manage their time and their cards efficiently, although doing so can be rather fiddly especially if you’re left with limited options.
- Short play time, great for kids and novice gamers.
- Fun and clever theme.
- Nicely paced gameplay.
- Interactive.
- Open to a variety of players to enjoy.
- Nothing….Just might not be your cup of tea.
Competitive, enjoyable and quick to play, Morals is a card game that just begs to be played again and again.
Final Thoughts
Cute, quirky and lots of fun, Morels can literally be played anywhere – all you need is the deck and some coins to substitute for the stick tokens.
Although designed for over-10s, it could even be played with younger kids once they’re able to match pictures (although keeping score could be an issue). Taking only around half an hour to finish, it’s great for when you crave a card game fix but don’t have much time.
