Atlas Games will release its new Vicious Gardens card game, along with two expansion packs, in February.  The core game and expansions were previously offered on Kickstarter, where $555,283 was pledged by 9,466 backers, a big campaign for a relatively inexpensive game.  Designed by Russ Bruggink, Vicious Gardens is easy to learn with cozy artwork, a good combination for current gamer tastes.

In Vicious Gardens, players plant into different Plots based on category, use Specialists to improve their gardens or sabotage others, and harvest to get Victory Cards.  The game can also be played in two or three-person teams.

The box includes Game Board, 72 Uniquely Named & Illustrated Plant Cards, 8 Wild Bloom Cards, 14 Victory Cards with Unique Abilities, 34 Specialist Cards, 5 Pollinators, 3 Pestilence, & 1 (Extremely Fabulous) Bird Bath, and 1 End of Season Token.

Vicious Gardens is for 2-6 players ages 10 and up, and plays in around 30 minutes.  MSRP is $39.95.

Two two-expansion packs will also be offered, each at $14.95.  In Vicious Gardens: Chaos Critters and Fancy Plants, the Chaos Critters expansion allows players to bring unique allies that give your garden unique perks or inhibit your neighbors into your Specialists Deck.  The Fancy Plants expansion includes secret goal cards that provide bonus points at the End of the Season, as long as players don’t display their intentions and allow other gardeners to try to thwart their progress.

The box includes 9 chaos critter cards, 7 fancy plants cards, 4 victory cards, and an alternate end of season token.

In Vicious Gardens: Cruel Summers & Noxious Weeds, the Cruel Summers expansion adds a mini-board and introduces a group event.  The drought can lose some or all of the players’ plants, but if the Cruel Summer is planned right, players can take advantage of their opponents’ losses.  The Noxious Weeds expansion also adds challenges: a new category of plants with negative points, but if the Plot is large enough, they can be harvested allowing the player to steal a Victory Card.

The box includes 18 sunflower cards, 12 noxious weed cards, a new add-on board, and 1 cruel summer token.