Image taken from https://boardgamegeek.com/image/5809809/honey-buzz-honey-pot-mini-expansion

Designer: Paul Salomon
Publisher: Elf Creek Games
Artists: Anne Heidsieck, Jason D. Kingsley

The Honey Pot mini expansion for Honey Buzz adds extra cards, solo dice, and few other little goodies to add some twists on the base gameplay, all wrapped up in a honeycomb shaped box! While being cute and thematic, that sucker was challenging to gift wrap! 😂

First off, the included dice make the solo mode significantly more enjoyable for me. In the standard game, there are cards that control the drone bees actions, but here, I surprisingly appreciate the increased randomization. I didn’t seem to run into the problem (at least as often) of the drones getting stuck at one location for an extended period of time, nor was I able to speculate which card(s) would likely appear next. The predictability of the card deck and the fact that some drones could remain in one location for numerous turns were two dislikes of mine from the original solo mode, so I appreciate this reimplementation.

Overall, the added cards just increase the variety. There are more queens contest and solo contest cards to work for, as well as one added solo drone card that I didn’t use (because, well, the dice are better anyway). They also included more starting configuration cards that are at a higher difficulty level than those in the base game, and they also threw in some new order cards that focus on pollen for the cost, which are different.

The really nice elements in this expansion are the 3D honey jar first player token and the nectar jar boards. While pretty, the honey jar doesn’t have much effect on the game. The double layered nectar jar boards, however, introduce a unique and interesting mechanic. When you acquire a nectar tile, you have the option to place it in your nectar jar for later use (only one can be in the jar at a time). In my opinion, the jars provide a fun added layer of strategy to consider when selecting your actions and gaining the nectar. I find it to be a great addition, especially with the lovely quality and beauty of the jars themselves.

If you like Honey Buzz, especially solo, and would like a little added variety and freshness to the game, I’d recommend picking up this pretty inexpensive little expansion. Everything fits well inside the base box, and all additions fit seamlessly into the gameplay itself.