Splendor Board Game (Packaging May Vary) - Master The Art of Wealth and Prestige! - Engaging Gem Mining Strategy Game for Kids & Adults, Ages 10+, 2-4 Players, 30 Min Playtime, Made by Space Cowboys

OverviewSplendor is a quick strategy game where you assume the role of a wealthy merchant tasked with acquiring precious stones. I came across Splendor in my search for a good game to play with my wife, and it did not disappoint. With 2 people you can finish a game within 30 minutes, so we usually end up playing a few rounds.ComponentsThere are 3 decks of cards (going from most affordable/least valuable to most expensive/most valuable), a set of nobles cards, and 6 types of gem chips. The cards feel sturdy and are beautifully illustrated. They card designs look different (in a good way) than what is pictured on Amazon. The nobles cards are nice and thick. The chips feel very solid and have a nice weight to them. They do not feel cheap.GameplaySplendor is deceptively easy to learn and plays fairly quickly - if people are paying attention. Paying attention is key, because everyone’s cards/tokens are available for all to see at all times. Setup involves shuffling the 3 separate decks of cards (labelled I, II, and III on the back) and laying out 4 cards from each deck next to the decks. There are also nobel cards that will be shuffled and placed on the table for everyone to see. Amazon’s picture shows how the playing area is set up. The last component are the chips which are stacked up and placed in view of all players. Players take turns deciding if they want to take 2 chips of the same color, 3 chips of different colors, buying a card with chips they already have, or reserving a card. Once you buy a card, it’s value can be put toward the purchase of other cards, and you do not lose any cards you’ve purchased. Some of the cards have numbers on them which represent victory points. The first to 15 victory points wins. The nobles can be earned by obtaining the number of cards listed on the noble’s card (ex 3 blue cards, 3 red cards, 2 white cards). Whoever is the first to obtain the required cards automatically gets the noble card and the victory points along with it.While the idea of collecting chips to buy cards is simple enough, there is a bit of strategy needed if you want to win. If you don’t have a plan to buy certain colors, in order to buy other colors, in order to finally acquire a certain noble, you may very well end up losing. And even when you have a plan, sometimes the chips you want or the card you want are no longer available, and you have to make a plan B. Part of the fun comes in when you figure out what your opponent is trying to do, and reserve or buy the card they needed, just to cut them down a peg. Some might think its a jerk move (AKA my wife) but I’m playing to win!If people are paying attention and thinking about what they want to do on their turn, then turns, and games can go by pretty quickly. 15 points is not a lot once you figure out how to play the game. But if you have that person that you always have to say “hey it's your turn” then the game will take a bit longer. The game plays great with just 2 people up to the max of 4 people. There is plenty of replayability and you will have to adjust your strategy a little each time depending on the cards and nobles in play.SummaryI own a number of board games (such as Dominion, Smash Up, Munchkin, 7 Wonders, Citadels, Love Letter), most of which are more complex than Splendor. Whenever I want to relax and play a game with my wife, Splendor is one of my first choices. It’s quick enough that we can easily fit in a game or two, yet has enough strategy to make it an enjoyable game to come back to again and again. I paid around $30 for the game, which I felt was a fair price. It is a great for light gaming but people who have played heavier board games can also enjoy it.

This is one of my favorite board games! It’s designed for 4 players, making it great for smaller groups. It’s also easy to teach new players. Most people pick up the rules and gameplay after just one round.The goal of the game is to reach a specific number of points before the other players. You achieve this by acquiring gem cards and merchants. Cards are purchased using gems, which you collect on your turn. Each turn, you can take one of three actions: collect gems, reserve a card, or buy a card.The game itself doesn’t take too long to play, typically around 30–60 minutes. The artwork is stunning, and the quality of the game pieces is excellent.

It's the right mix of requiring strategic thinking without being intimidating to novice gamers. We've had a lot of fun, quick game nights with casual gamers who enjoy that this game is easy to pick up and learn. The balance of skill and luck seems about right, and there's enough chance to come from behind to keep everyone interested. I think the game plays best with 3 players, where blocking your opponent is more useful than with 4. It's still fun for 2 or 4 though. Games take about 45 minutes with 4 beginners, much less with 2 experienced players.

I bought this game because I really liked it when I played it with my son who owns the game. I found it at a great price here on Amazon, so that I didn't mind having my own copy of the game so I didn't have to borrow it from him. Everyone I've played it with really likes the game as well. The gem tokens are very sturdy and will last probably far longer than the cards. The cards are fine, too but cards only last so long.The box has plenty of places to put all the pieces. The game is fairly easy to learn, yet has a lot of strategy to use.

I love this strategy game. My sister-in-law introduced me and my family and I've loved it ever since. My husband loves strategy games so the fact that this game is easy to play makes it that much more fun to play. It's very fun to play and makes you really think about your moves carefully and also on how you can mess up the other players by stealing the cards they need.

Fun and easy game. Very easy for new players to pick up and stay engaged. Great for parties.

Fantastic game. So addicting. There are so many strategies one could adopt once you get really good at playing. We’re obsessed. Also works well with 2 players, my fiancè and I play it nearly every day

This is one if my favorite games to play with family and friends. It's easy to learn and takes about 20-30min a game depending on how many people are playing