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.
Packing For Paradise
When traveling with family or friends, I always like to toss a few small games in my suitcase, just in case we find some downtime between adventures. But I try to be mindful of my company, so I don’t just default to my personal favorites. I look for something cozy, welcoming, and easy to teach, yet deep enough for multiple plays, and able to bridge players of all experience levels. Later, while rummaging through my luggage, right between my swim trunks and tank tops, I find Seaside, Beacon Patrol, and Beach Day. Can you guess where I’m headed?
Fun in the Sun
Beach Day is a 1-4 player card-drafting and tile-laying game from Cakepie Games. This sun-soaked showdown is the debut title from designers Joshua Browman and Brennan Smith, featuring delightful artwork by Ammon Anderson.
Players build out their perfect beach by drafting cards and adding them to their growing shoreline. Cards can be stacked or placed contiguously in any orientation, making for a breezy yet strategic experience. The communal draw pile has a general deck where players can either draw two cards, discard one, or pick up one from the face-up discard pile. Once the deck runs dry, like a towel left out in the sun, players score points based on five public objectives and their own personal, hidden objective. The highest score earns the title of Best on the Beach—no sunscreen required, and best of all, no sand to clean up afterward.
No Sunburn, All Play
Beach Day is light, easygoing, and a pleasure to play, kind of like a lazy afternoon with the perfect ocean breeze. There has been a rise in Cascadia-style games (low-interaction card/tile drafting with configuration-based scoring) in the gaming world, each featuring different themes—and that’s okay. The beach drafting/building reminds me (in a good way) of Santa Monica. As a fan of spatial puzzles, I enjoyed the tactical drafting and the challenge of placing cards just right. The game encourages players to chase multiple objectives, but with symbols spread across the deck like scattered seashells, it’s tough to max them all out. Add in the competition for prime beachfront real estate, and things can get a little salty.
That said, scoring is largely individual, with shared point opportunities based on each player’s unique setup. The double-sided scoring cards include advanced and majority-based scoring, offering more depth for those craving a bigger wave of strategy. I always appreciate when games provide a welcoming base experience but include room for more tactical play. However, the scoring variety doesn’t extend much past the shoreline, meaning after a few games, you’ll have a solid feel for the patterns.
Speaking of multiple plays, my first-time players often immediately asked for a rematch. The game scales smoothly by simply adjusting the number of starting cards, and at all player counts, the final scores were impressively tight—usually within 3-5 points of each other, even with players pursuing different strategies.
For those who prefer solo beach days, the game includes two objective-based solo scenarios for a relaxing yet engaging challenge.
Overall, Beach Day delivers exactly what its namesake promises: breezy, light, and a great way to spend time with friends and loved ones. With a quick playtime and easygoing nature, you can almost smell the salt in the air.
Add Comment