Flutter - Game Review

Title: Flutter

Designed By: Matt Bahntge

Art By: Steven Tu

Published By: Phase Shift Games

Released: 2024

Player Count: 2-5

Time to Play: 45 Minutes

Ages: 8+

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Overview:

Flutter by Phase Shift Games is a 2-5 player tile placement game where players work to score the most points by growing flowers in a shared meadow. Flutter uses a rondel mechanic to allow players to select a tile on their turn. Through placing matching petals on tiles, players unlock the ability to purchase more useful tiles using petal points. In addition to growing flowers, players work to enclose their bees and already placed tiles to score points. When one of the rondel stacks runs out, the game ends and whoever has the most points wins.

What's purr-ty cool:

Unique Currency System

Petals in Flutter serve four unique purposes. Saved petals can earn big points at game’s end, but they can also be spent to buy more useful pieces by allowing you to pay to skip over rondel spaces. Petals are also needed to place mismatched flowers, as each error costs petals to correct. Lastly, petals matching the pollinator of an enclosed tile are required to score points—or your opponents might sneakily score off your hard work instead! With four separate petal tracks, players must constantly weigh whether to stockpile petals or spend them for an immediate advantage.

Springy Vibes

The photos shown here feature my dad’s deluxe wooden version, but even the retail edition of Flutter is quite striking. The game relies heavily on color, and Phase Shift Games has done a great job incorporating color-blind friendly features. Each petal has a unique shape, and pollinators have distinctive sparkle icons to indicate their cost. It’s a thoughtful design choice that makes the game welcoming for all players.

Like Tri-Ominos... But Cooler

If you’ve ever played Tri-Ominos, Flutter will feel kind of familiar, but with way more going on. The weird tile shapes fit together in such fun and surprising ways. Every turn you just grab a tile, place it, and maybe score—but the decisions along the way are what really make the game shine. I had multiple turns where I had to sit and think, “What’s the smartest move here?” It’s a relaxing, puzzley experience that I’d totally pull out to teach someone who’s only played the classic games.

The cat's meow:

"Mom can’t even keep flowers in the house 'cause I snack on ‘em. Lucky for her, Flutter lets her grow a whole garden I can’t chew!" - Solo the Spokescat

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Disclosure: Pudgy Cat Games was provided a copy of this game in exchange for a review, however, this review reflects the honest thoughts of the author.