SPLENDOR is a chip collection and card develpoment game where players are aquiring gems to allow them to gain cards with points. First to 15 triggers the end game, and highest score wins.
SPLENDOR is another game that comfortably sits with the great gateway games of the hobby. It’s really simple to teach, and the actions are quick, meaning that there is barely any downtime time for the other players.
One action is to pick up gem tokens (Emerald, Sapphire, Ruby, Diamond or Onyx). These can be used as another action on another turn to purchase cards from the market.
What creates the flow of this game is that everyone starts with needing the tokens (which are really nice poker like chips), but the cards you acquire all have one of the gems in the top left corner. Once you have that card, you have that permanent resource. So as the game goes on, players need the chips less and less, and can eventually gain new cards with what they have in front of them.
The other flow comes from the three rows. The first row is where you’ll concentrate at first, and some of them aren’t work any points. But as you can afford the cards from the more expensive row 2 and row 3, players will suddenly start speeding towards that 15 points end game trigger.
And lets not forget the Noble tiles that go to the first player to have the card combination they display. More points available there.
So players fight for cards and chips, building their own little engines and racing to the finish.
With an action that can reserve a card, some players can keep an eye on what you’re going for and use their turn blocking you.
I find it’s always good to have two or three cards to aim for each time, in case one of them gets taken. I rarely, if ever use the reserve action, despite the benifit of getting Gold, which is a wild token.
Easy to teach, exciting progression as the game ramps up, and short to medium play time. SPLENDOR will be a permanent member of our collection.
Always Play Blue 