I’m whisking you away to the dazzling world of Splendor, a game that combines the elegance of gem trading with the sharp tactics of resource management. The game comes with gem tokens, cards, noble tiles and a turn marker. Gem Tokens are the heart of the game—beautiful, poker-chip-like pieces representing rubies, sapphires, emeralds, diamonds, and onyx. The Development Cards are divided into three levels, these cards display various combinations of gems and points, becoming progressively more expensive but rewarding as you move up the levels. The Noble Tiles provide additional points to players who attract their attention by acquiring specific combinations of development cards. Here is the marker to designate the starting player.

The gameplay of Splendor is elegantly simple, designed for 2-4 players, and typically plays within 30 minutes. Here’s how it breaks down: Setup: Lay out the noble tiles and shuffle each deck of development cards. Reveal the top cards of each level in a 4×3 grid and organize the gem tokens by color in reachable piles.

On your turn, you have the option to collect gems, buy a card or reserve a card. Collect Gems involves picking up either three different kinds of gem tokens or two of the same kind. To buy a Development Card you would use your collected gems to purchase a card from the table or one you’ve reserved. Purchased cards provide permanent gems which are used to buy more expensive cards later. To reserve a card, you would take a card from the display and keep it for later purchase, and take a gold token (wild card) along with it.

The game flows back and forth with players collecting gems, buying cards, or reserving cards to strategically build their gem mines. The first part of the game usually involves building a strong base of cards that generate resources. As the game progresses, players start focusing on acquiring higher-level cards that provide points and meet the requirements of noble tiles. The game ends when a player reaches 15 prestige points. Finish the current round so that all players have had an equal number of turns. Players then count their total points from cards and noble tiles. The highest score wins!

Splendor is a gem in the board game world, combining tactical depth with simple, swift gameplay that hooks players from the first turn. The rules are straightforward, making it accessible for newcomers yet challenging enough for seasoned gamers due to its strategic depth. Whether you’re a casual gamer looking for an engaging game for family nights or a hardcore enthusiast who appreciates a well-crafted strategy game.

To purchase this game through the Amazon affiliate link use this link: https://amzn.to/3W35Aos