Touch grass. Play Lacuna, a new “cozy” board game. Be happy. Repeat.

The worst part about playing modern board games is “teaching”. So that endlessly long time when you first sit down to share something unusual with a new group. Rarely is a game without a literal “teach” moment. In a game, just sitting down and running through the first few rounds somehow makes sense. lacunathe latest products from CMYKis just such a magical product. A calm game made for good vibes that needs little explanation.

Fans of CMYK know this studio’s hit game. Nicknamea vibrant take on charades, and wavelength, a pop culture-inspired novelty device with a large plastic spinner. Both of these popular party games can accommodate essentially unlimited number of players. lacuna is a more intimate experience built for just two players.

Also, it doesn’t look like a board game at all.

lacuna Packaged in a colorful cardboard tube. Open the top and just below it is a plastic panel that looks like a shaker, a large plastic jar filled with paprika or garlic powder. Beneath that panel are all the items: 49 colorful wooden flowers, 12 metal player pawns, and a thick cloth playmat. Unboxing is visually and tactilely pleasing, but the real fun begins with the pre-game setup.

Take the 49 flowers, place them in a tube, put the plastic panel back on, and literally swing it out onto the play surface. Both players work together to move things around with their hands, making sure there are no large clumps of flowers. Then place the pawns in sequence for a total of 6 rounds.

The goal is to place a pawn between two flowers of the same color. The player then takes those two of his flowers and leaves the pawn in place. Once all 12 pawns have been placed, the player scans the board and pays attention to his 25 remaining flowers. Players collect those flowers based on which pawn is closest to each flower. Using the included plastic ruler will quickly resolve any disputes. It adds an amazing strategic layer to the game and provides a big “aha!” The moment when everyone at the table suddenly understood the game.

I first introduced lacuna To my family during a recent auto camping trip in Wisconsin. After a long, hot six-mile trek through tick-infested forests, the kids and I were as tired as the dog, and yet, we were all somehow restless.so i pulled it out lacuna, spread a cloth mat like a magic trick and poured colorful flowers on the picnic table. Two minutes later, the kids were totally hooked. Antique chess sets and other family favorite board games were quickly forgotten in the minivan. Most importantly, I was able to secretly start preparing dinner over the campfire. My 10-year-old and 13-year-old sons, as well as the other adults I was traveling with afterwards, ended the weekend excursion excited about their newfound fun games.

Photo: CMYK

lacuna Not perfect. Some flowers are a little closer in color to each other than I would have liked. Since each color has its own shape and pattern to distinguish it, this is a rare instance where colorblind players can actually have an advantage. There is no dedicated area on the board to score at the end of the game and it feels like a lost opportunity. The biggest drawback for me, however, is the tendency of the flowers to roll around when pouring them onto the table. In fact, we lost one in the folds of someone’s sweatshirt and only found it all the way across the campsite when we checked out the next morning. But it’s easy to see how bottle caps and precious stones can be used as substitutes when the time comes.

But most of all, it was really nice to have something bright, colorful, and easy to learn after a long day on the trail. lacuna was one of the highlights of our first big family trip this summer, and was tucked inside our autocamping tote. Probably forever. lacuna It will be a fun new tradition for your family, too.

pre-order for lacuna Discounted pricing starts June 6th. $34.99 It’s listed on the CMYK website, but considering the production values, this seems more than fair. It will have a suggested retail price of $39.99 when it ships in July.

lacuna It was reviewed using a pre-release copy provided by CMYK. Vox Media has affiliate partnerships. These do not affect editorial content, but Vox Media may earn a commission on products purchased via affiliate links.discoverable Additional information on Polygon’s Ethics Policy can be found here.