Splendor

The IOS App.  This way we can play Splendor without bothering to get out of bed

 I enjoyed my first play of Splendor immensely. I thought my wife would like it and that it would fit  perfectly into my collection.  So I did what any loving frugal husband would do.  I bought it for a  Christmas present for friends, who happened to want to try it right away.  My wife really enjoyed it  and asked if we could acquire it. Sure I said, budget to pick the next game we purchase.  Who says chivalry is dead? 

Publisher:

Space Cowboy

Designer:

Marc Andre

Elevator Pitch:

Each turn you may take chips, purchase a card with said chips, or reserve a card and get a wild chip.  Cards purchased each provide a permanent chip that makes future purchases cheaper.  Acquire 15+ points through buying card with points or matching the colors of nobles and you will be victorious.  

Personal Impression:

I like games with engine building mechanisms. You start by acquiring small things, which in turn help you acquire progressively bigger and better things.  Splendor is that mechanism distilled into its own game.   It is simple and fast to teach and play, yet retains diverse paths to victory.  The balance of the cards has been perfected to the point that what you want to do always feels like it’s just out of reach, leaving each game as a challenging puzzle of how you are going to make do.   

Good for People who Grew up Playing:

Poker.  Not for the people who enjoyed the complex strategies and interactions of the game.  More for people who really like playing with their chips.

  

Ease of Learning:

The rules are so short that I always think I'm forgetting to mention something.  It should only take a couple of turns for anyone to get the hang of the basics.  The learning curve however, is surprisingly steep.  It is difficult to balance between getting cheap cards to build your engine, going for points, and achieving nobles.

Fidgety Index

Extremely high quality poker chips are fun to play with, though the occasional opponent may not appreciate being unable to quickly tell what you're holding.

Universal Theme:

Well there are pictures of historically real people, but that's about it.  You are collecting gems, but would make no difference if it was changed to anything else.

Player Count and Length:

Works well with 2-4 though the game plays differently depending on the count. Getting a few high point cards is more viable with four players, while there is more direct interaction with two.  Game takes about 20-30 minutes.

Expansions:

There are a few noble promo cards, but there are currently no expansions and none are really needed.

Spin Offs:

None

Introducing the Game to New Gamers: 

Don't purposely block what your opponents are doing and perhaps even go out your way to avoid doing so. 

Apps:

Very well done with viable AI opponents, a user friendly interface and a challenge mode that offers all sorts of interesting scenarios.  It only does pass and play mode for now, but even so, it has become our most common way to play the game.  The game’s only downside is that it drains the device’s battery rapidly and has a tendency to make it overheat.

Links:

Buy Online

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