Name: 7 Wonders
Designer: Antoine Bauza
# of Players: 2-7
Playtime: 30 minutes
MSRP: $59.99 CDN
Link to Rules
Synopsis: Can you lead your people to become the most powerful civilization in the world?
7 Wonders was the smash hit at the 2010 Essen Speiltage (the largest game expo in the world) and with good reason: designer Antoine Bauza takes the card drafting mechanic to the next level in this award winning game. Each player starts with 1 of 7 (double-sided) civilization boards, each with its own Wonder to be built and associated special attributes. The remainder of the game revolves around card play. Cards represent resources or cultural developments (military, scientific, economic, civil/architectural) that players must either choose for their own civilization or opt to pass to their neighbouring opponents. The tension in the take-it-or-pass-it-on mechanic is the genius stroke that makes this game sing.
7 Wonders has become the default superfiller* in many of the groups I play with. The main reason: this 30-minute game can accommodate anywhere between 2 to 7 players. That’s right! A SEVEN-player game in 30 minutes! Since play is simultaneous, the number of players has very little effect on how long the game takes. There are very few games that play so well, in such a short time with so many players.
7 Wonders is also very easy and quick to teach, which furthers its likelihood of being selected in a diverse group or in between games to fill the time. I have taught this game to diehard gamers, newcomers, and even to cosplaying convention goers at the Calgary Comic Expo. Without fail, they have grasped the game within one play and always come back for more!
And wonder of wonders, the game stands up very well to repeated plays. The variety in the civilization boards as well as in the cards lends itself to multiple paths to victory. Consequently, there is a lot of replayability and there’s a drive to better your score by playing “just one more time”.
Designing a short, fun, interactive civilization game is a holy grail of sorts for many designers. Antoine Bauza has done just that and the numerous awards 7 Wonders has collected over the last year are a reflection of the incredible work he’s done with this game. 7 Wonders is a game I unequivocally think deserves a spot on your shelves.
*Filler = games that “fill” the space between games or other activities
*Superfiller = fillers that have greater depth than expected, considering their typical short length.
Darren
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