Drylands – Two-Player Strategy Board Game

Two players. One landscape. Which way will the land turn?

Drylands is an abstract two-player strategy game inspired by the fragile dryland ecosystems of Africa’s Sahel region and the ambitious restoration efforts of the Great Green Wall.

One player represents the Forest. The other represents the Desert.

Across a small section of drylands, the two compete for control of the landscape, placing and flipping tiles as each tries to shift the balance in their favor. The strategy is abstract and satisfyingly spatial, with gameplay reminiscent of classics like Othello, Reversi, and Go.

Simple actions create an evolving puzzle: every move changes the landscape—and may create an opportunity for your opponent.

The Landscape Behind the Game

Drylands exist where arid landscapes meet grasslands, savannas, forests, and other ecosystems. These environments can be particularly vulnerable to land degradation, but thoughtful land management and restoration can help support healthier, more resilient landscapes.

Drylands takes inspiration from Africa’s Great Green Wall, a multinational initiative across the Sahel focused on restoring degraded land and supporting the communities and ecosystems of the region.

That real-world backdrop gives the game's elegant Forest-versus-Desert struggle another layer of meaning without turning play into a lesson.

Why We Love It

The rules create an immediate rivalry. Forest on one side. Desert on the other. You understand what you're trying to accomplish almost as soon as the pieces hit the table.

It has that classic abstract-strategy appeal. If you enjoy games where a simple move can completely change the board—and where you're already thinking about your opponent's next turn—you'll feel at home here.

The landscape isn't just decoration. The Sahel and Great Green Wall give the game's central push and pull a real-world point of inspiration.

It’s built for two. No assembling a group or negotiating player counts: just two people across a table and a landscape between them.

Game Details

Players: 2
Style: Abstract strategy
Gameplay: Tile placement, tile flipping & area control
Setting: Inspired by the Sahel region of Africa
Real-world inspiration: The Great Green Wall

The landscape changes with every move.