YORKTON – I (we) like card games – typically more than others in The Meeple Guild – so be aware this review may skew a bit toward my view as a writer.
The game in question is Butterfly Kingdom from designer Icerain Lin and Icerain Games.
It is a game very much powered by the great butterfly art by Wesley Lin which feeds into the fact the game hails from Taiwan where according to the publisher its “diverse terrain and climate have nurtured over 400 species of butterflies, including more than 50 endemic species. Records of butterflies in Taiwan date back to the Qing Dynasty, and during the 1950s, large-scale collecting and exports earned the island the nickname ‘The Kingdom of Butterflies’.”
The rulebook even provides brief snippets about the butterflies depicted which is also a bonus – getting a wee bit of education out of the gaming hobby.
“We collaborated with ecological illustrator Wesley Lin, who is passionate about butterflies and moths,” said Icerain Lin.” All of the beautiful butterfly illustrations in the game represent real species endemic to Taiwan. The cover also features Yushan, the highest peak in Northeast Asia and one of Taiwan’s national symbols—elements I personally love. Originally, I wanted to include around 40 butterfly species so that the game could serve as a miniature field guide to Taiwan’s butterflies. Unfortunately, production scale and publishing timelines made that impossible, but perhaps we can revisit the idea in second edition or expansion.
In Butterfly Kingdom you get a game which reminded ‘The Guild’ of rummy — a staple for any card game lover – but in ‘conversation’ via email that is not exactly where this one drew its inspiration.
“Last year, The Gang, (Gangs Of Kyoto), achieved unprecedented success with a modern take on Texas hold’em. That made me wonder if traditional games could be modernized through board game design, allowing players to rediscover the core fun beyond gambling,” explained designer Icerain Lin. “For Butterfly Kingdom, we drew inspiration from Mahjong, a traditional Chinese game, and reimagined it by simplifying the rules and adjusting the pace—highlighting the engaging aspects that often get overlooked.”
Whether it reminds of Mahjong or rummy, Butterfly Kingdom – for three-to-five players — plays rather uniquely, and in an interesting way.
You are dealt a hand of cards. You fan them out in-hand and try to make sets and collections as you draw and discard throughout the game. The twist, the cards in-hand cannot be moved. So a pair of sevens three cards apart take some effort to get into a set.
Drawn cards can be inserted into the hand at any spot, but then they too are ‘locked in place’.
If you take the last discarded card you must play it to the table with cards from your hand, thus cards come together after the removal, hopefully to your advantage in finally laying down your hand to win a round.
It sounds more complicated than it proves to be, and a few rounds in it plays smoothly.
I find it interesting this one is sort of a starting point in creating games highlighting Taiwan.
“Beyond the mechanics, Butterfly Kingdom is also the first title in our Taiwan-themed series,” offered Lin. “With this series, we want to help players worldwide—including those in Taiwan—develop a deeper understanding of Taiwan beyond bubble tea and night markets. Through the game’s theme, we showcase aspects of local culture, history, and natural ecology. We also included an appendix in the rulebook, much like the extras you’d find in old PC games 30 years ago, which provides background knowledge without affecting game play.
“Most board games published in Taiwan so far have been casual party games, often tied to stereotypes. Few have experimented with new mechanics or delved deeply into Taiwan’s local elements. With Butterfly Kingdom, we aimed to combine both aspects—innovative mechanics and authentic cultural themes—to give players something refreshingly different.”
This is one of those little gem games that if you see it – made easier by the beautiful butterfly art on the box — you should buy it. Now this isn’t a game that will top a list of best games of the year – that is a tall order for any card game but it is fun with a ruleset different enough to ‘feel’ fresh.
