Sprout (2011)

Sprout is a cooperative game for 2 to 5 players that can be played with a Shibumi set. It uses a 4×4 set of stacking spheres in 3 colors. It can also be played as a solitaire game.

The completed Shibumi pyramid symbolizes the branches of a cherry blossom tree that grow and prosper. They can sprout horizontally or diagonally upwards, but must not break or tangle unnaturally.

Aim: All players win by placing the thirtieth ball, thus completing the pyramid, without losing the game in the process.

Setup: Place all 48 balls (16 of each color) in the bag. Each player draws a ball at random and holds it so that everyone can see it. The player who first recites a haiku or poem about beauty plays first. Choose difficulty, Easy, Medium or Hard

Play: When a player's turn comes, he must place the ball he holds on any hole on the Shibumi board or on top of a 2×2 platform created by balls. He then draws a new random ball and play continues counter-clockwise.

In Sprout, unlike other Shibumi games, dropping a ball is not allowed. You never remove balls from the pyramid you build as branches of a cherry blossom tree cannot be cut by themselves.

Game Loss: The players lose the game in two ways
1) If, at any time, two balls of the same color on the same level are diagonally next to each other (break)
2) If, at any time, a ball is placed on an upper level and there are two balls of the same color adjacent to one in the lower-level platform (tangle)

Wish: During their turn, any player may use one of the team's wishes to put the ball he holds in the bag and draw a new one of the color of his choice. If you chose the Easy difficulty, the team has 3 wishes. If you chose Medium, the team has 2 wishes, while if you chose Hard you have only 1 wish

Etiquette: The players are generally not allowed to speak about the game, suggest moves and interrupt a player's thinking.

The exception to this are the ancestors. After a ball is placed, any player other than the player who placed it is allowed to appeal to an ancestor and explain, in a few words, why this is a bad move and suggest a better one. The player who placed the ball then chooses to take the ball back or leave it be.

Each player may only appeal to his ancestors twice per game. Beyond that he must silence out of respect.

This game is an entry for the Shibumi Challenge

Beautiful the trees
When winter leaves, spring arrives
Colors fill the land