Disclosure: Meeple Mountain received a free copy of this product in exchange for an honest, unbiased review. This review is not intended to be an endorsement.
The Beauty of Nature
I had the pleasure of meeting the Wongs at a booth during Geekway to the West this year. I was charmed by a map of the United States with various tree-ples indicating National Parks around the country. “This is really neat,” I said as I took a photo. Jason laughed and told me, “Oh, that’s not the game, that’s just a map.” Slightly embarrassed, I countered with, “It’s still a cool map!” Jason then told me the story of how the game came to be.
During the pandemic, the Wongs decided to go on the ultimate road trip to see all 63 U.S. National Parks. What they found went beyond amazement at the natural beauty and wonder that the country’s geography had to offer. Armed with a camera and a love for mahjong, the experience inspired the creation of PocketParks, a set collection game coming to Kickstarter in late 2025. Jason even mentioned that the game had been purposely delayed in order to include the most recent national park: New River Gorge National Park and Preserve, located in West Virginia.
Housed in a charming tin box, the game blends in with assorted camping gear that could easily be found in a hiking backpack. Each card features a stunning photograph (each taken by the Wongs themselves!), park information, GPS coordinates, and even a checkbox to mark if you decide to start a national park trek of your own.
Park Tour!
Based on the classic Chinese tile-laying game of mahjong, PocketParks plays over three rounds, with the winner being the player who accumulates the highest score. In addition to factual park information, each card features a number of different symbols representing the type of park. These symbols range from volcanoes to man-made sites, to the most visited parks, and even UNESCO designations. A few parks even have the “dark sky” tag, representing areas protected against light pollution and encouraging connection to the natural night sky.
On a turn, a player can perform one of three actions:
- Play a set. A player may play a set of two to four cards with a matching tag, or build upon an already played set. Sets will score at the end of the round but cannot exceed four cards—unless a “park tour” occurs. At any time, if a player has a completed four-card set in hand and a fifth matching card would otherwise be discarded, the player can shout “PARK TOUR!” and score a five-card set. If a player manages to hold an entire matching set of nine cards, they immediately win the game.
- Draw cards. A player may draw two cards and either discard one or play an event. Event cards can disrupt others, grant additional actions, or even cancel other players’ events.
- Steal. A player may discard two cards (or one “dark sky” card) to steal from another player’s set or hand.
Once a player plays at least three sets (with a minimum of 2, 3, and 4 cards each), they win the round. The round winner scores two-card sets in addition to threes, fours, and fives. The other players may only score threes, fours, and fives. Play continues until three rounds have concluded, crowning the best park-goer!
Celebration of our National Parks
I personally haven’t played mahjong, though my mother plays weekly with her friends (a missed opportunity by me, really). I imagine mahjong players could easily spot the similarities and even apply some of the same strategies to PocketParks. What seems like a casual, fast set collection game surprised me with its strategic depth and heavy emphasis on timing.
There’s an art to balancing your own sets while slowing down other players. Since the rounds are essentially a race, it’s important to get sets down quickly lest you miss opportunities to score. Playing large sets early can give you a strong start, but often leaves you exposed to the schemes of others. The event cards add a nice dash of uncertainty—some let you steal, swap, or even repeat earlier events. I recall an unfortunate moment when an event was played to take three random cards from the player to the right, only to find he had none—since I’d just given him my last three cards. The trails are beautiful to behold, but snakes can lie under rocks!
The act of playing sets is the main meat of the game, but holding onto them strategically is the true challenge. It’s fairly easy to find matching parks due to the numerous symbols on each card, but if one card is taken away and your set splits, you’re left with a small pivoting puzzle to rejoin the race. In my plays, no one managed to win with the nine-card set, but plenty of “park tours” caused fun twists in the flow. Players soon watched the discard pile like hawks, hoping to scoop up a chance to surge ahead. This is much like mahjong, when a player calls “mahjong” upon completing their hand (yes, I had to look up the rules).
Overall, this game is a brisk, refreshing hike through some of the country’s most gorgeous scenery—it makes me want to lace up my boots and start exploring. Many times during my plays, people asked, “Did they really take this photo?” All the cards feature absolutely stunning shots that make you pause and imagine yourself among the trees. The gameplay is smooth and snappy. Instead of burying yourself in the set collection element, you’re always watching your opponents—tracking their discards and timing, wondering if they’re about to strike or if you’ll get the chance first.
It may sound combative, but the light take-that element feels more like overtaking a fellow hiker on the trail: nothing personal, everyone’s just aiming for the summit.
If you’re a fan of national parks, mahjong, or light, fast card games, I’d recommend PocketParks. The story behind the game is inspiring, and with the cards doubling as mini park guides, this little tin will surely become mandatory on your next adventure into nature.
Please consider donating to the National Parks Conservation Association to protect and enhance the park system for future generations.
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