Lacuna

Shake the wooden flower tokens from the tube onto the fabric mat and distribute the six metal pawns to each player. The first player takes one flower as a starting advantage. On your turn, draw an imaginary straight line between two flowers of the same color, as long as no other flower or pawn crosses that line, and place a pawn anywhere on that line; then take both flowers. Players take turns until all twelve pawns are placed, after which each remaining flower goes to the player whose pawn is closest to it – if in doubt, use the provided ruler. The player who has the majority of four or more colors wins.

Lacuna was designed by Mark Gerrits and released by CMYK in 2023. It distinguishes itself from other abstract games with its almost meditative atmosphere: reviewers describe it as a "flow state in a box" and praise the tactile qualities of the wooden flowers and metal pieces. What appears to be a simple flower game is actually a subtle area control game where the precise placement of your piece on the imaginary line has major consequences for the second phase. For couples or duo players looking for something calm, fast-paced, yet distinctive, Lacuna is a rare and charming find.