StickerDoodle Games

The Bonsai Diary

At a Glance

Solo (1 player)Quick (Under 30 minutes) and Campaign (Multiple sessions)Ages 13-17 (Teen) and Ages 18+ (Mature/Adult)Mechanics (System): Journaling (Custom)Genres: Cozy and InspirationComplexity: Beginner

Grow Your Own Tree with Just Pen and Ink

It's 2025, and you plant a small tree seedling, imagining its future.

Bonsai trees can live hundreds of years. Who will inherit this living being? What will they think of you in 2178? Will they think of you at all?

Use simple brush or pen strokes to shape your bonsai. On each new page, trace your previous bonsai and add one more stroke. Watch your bonsai grow, page after page. Draw impulsively, or draw with intention.

As you play, the game asks you: Who are you? What do you hope for the future?

Your first playthrough of The Bonsai Diary will leave you with a keepsake of the experience. After that, you can keep playing or start a new tree by following the rules in the back. All you need is a deck of playing cards and a fresh journal.

The game prompts introspection... it will leave you pondering long after you’ve put down your pen. In an age of fast-paced digital distractions, this tactile, thoughtful experience is a sanctuary.

-- Emil's Game Room

This is a beautifully contemplative game, in which you embody various generations that are all responsible for caring for a bonsai tree (and possibly more).

-- Mint Rabbit

Check out a Live-Play Demo

32 page, 7 x 10 inch, black & white, saddle-bound booklet with a charming full-color cover

Please reach out to the publisher if you are interested in a digital version. This is not a guarantee.