The Donut Guy Blog

I first encountered Offshoots walking around Origins Game Fair during the GAMA media event. There were many tables, but I found myself looking across them at what appeared to be a pretty tree built up. I was immediately drawn from far away and that pulled me right in.

Walking up I found many other content creators I know we’re already experimenting with the game. Everyone was smiling as they placed leaves on the tree, trying hard not to let it fall. You could see the fun from everyone’s perspective and I could not wait to put on a leaf myself.

Offshoots is a game of kinetic potential. Just like other dexterity games, such as Jenga or Kerplunk you are trying hard to put something in place without disturbing the entire system. What makes it stand out is that the tree that you are forming looks like something beautiful and a kind of natural. As you are balancing the tree, it’s filling out leaves much like a tree fills out leaves in a forest. It’s natural to make some things symmetrical and balanced as you put this together up against others building alongside you.

The materials of this game also feel high-quality. A simple artistic design of leaves means meets the theme, and the tree trunk is three-dimensions of connections. I did not get a chance to confirm the material but it is something I think that will be sturdy through a lot of gameplay. Light enough to maneuver, but heavy enough to make you wary of where you will put a leaf.

I also listened to other content creator friends talk about the possibilities for expansions or personalization. You can make a Christmas tree. You can add weighted apples. You can make a fall version. This is a game that will have tremendous possibilities in the future.

Imagine walking into a bar and instead of somebody having Jenga out on a table you see this. It will immediately draw people in and that is the beauty of this game. It’s quick to pick up, easy to explain and has a straightforward goal to reach. Listening to its creator Dan, who was previously a toy designer, it makes perfect sense from their sense of artistic functional design. There is beauty in the simplicity, but also in the possibilities.

I’m happy to report that according to Dan the game sold out at Origins game fair. I am not at all surprised and it is why I had to get myself a copy. I can see this game going some great places and I cannot wait for it to happen. Find out more about it and get your own copy at Offshootsgame.com (when it’s back in stock).