7 Wonders Board Game [Review]: What Makes It So Great?

A lot of board games have been scaled up from two to eight players to suit the dynamics in technology and also meet the demand in the market.

But these drastic changes have reduced the quality and increased the game time. This is something that can be frustrating on the side of game lovers.

But the magical 7 Wonders board game is an exemption. It comes with unique gameplay mechanics that offer quick play time and easy to learn rules.

The most exciting thing is that you can play a full game of 7 Wonders within thirty minutes. This is something that is quite rare in other board games.

Besides that, the easy-to-learn game rules make this board game an excellent choice for both experienced gamers and non-gamers.

So, what makes 7 Wonders special? The gameplay mechanics and special features make this card game worth the value of your money. Keep reading the review to learn more about 7 Wonders.

Overview of 7 Wonders

7 Wonders is a card game that entails three decks of cards. The board game was developed by Antoine Bauza in 2010 and it is part of Repos production in Belgium.

The cards represent ancient civilization, commercial activity, and military conflict. These features have made this prominent game to receive a lot of awards in the gaming industry.

Keep in mind that 7 Wonders is accessible to both gamers and non-gamers. Thanks to the modern add-ons that have improved the quality and enhance quick play time.

7 Wonders is one of the most popular board game in the world. The card drafting game comes with cards that represent ancient civilization, military conflicts and commercial activities.

Building up a complete civilization usually goes through a series of three rounds. This is attained by playing cards every round in your area.

The card game needs 2–7 players to be fun and enjoyable. The cards range from building supplies, victory point buildings to unique action buildings.

The hand management of the rounds is one thing that makes 7 Wonders a special game to consider. The game mechanics allow each player to strike card balance and aim to get more victory points.

What Makes 7 Wonders Fun and Enjoyable?

7 Wonders come with few components to facilitate fun and enjoyability. The board game comes with embellished cards.

Each card has a name, picture, price and effect symbol. These illustrations on the card make it easy to play and enhance their functionality.

The different wonders of the game are brought about by the cardboard tokens and double side player board. The wonders differentiation forces the player to come up with strategies of building.

The science building focus and flexibility of game strategies are some of the things that make this board game enjoyable. Besides that, the interaction between players and bonuses that come with the card game are exceptional.

Pros of 7 Wonders

Interesting Variations

The board game is suitable for 2–7 players to create competition and enhance interaction. It also comes with two interesting ways of winning the game before completion of all the three rounds. This is something that makes the card game fun and interesting to play.

Fun Strategy

Each game round is unique and players need to have multiple game plans to win. Formulation of these strategies need critical thinking and creativity. It board game helps to display the personality of each player.

Ideal for All Age Brackets

7 Wonders is an exciting game for kids, teens and even adults. The variations in the board game allow kids or adults to pick the one that suits them perfectly. But regular practice enables non-gamers to perfect their skills.

Quick Play Time

Each round of 7 Wonders takes less than 45 minutes. The short period makes the card game fun and enjoyable. Players develop the urge to play more and more until everyone has a chance to win the game.

Easy to Learn

7 Wonders come with easy to learn rules. This is something that makes the game accessible to both gamers and non-gamers. Besides that, the simple rules make it even easier for kids to understand the entire game.

Cons of 7 Wonders

Result in Boredom

7 Wonders is a type of board game which makes the player aware of the entire content due playing over and over. It is something that makes the game suffer from never feeling fresh. The boredom can deter individuals from playing again in the future.

Time Consuming

The quick playing time invites game addiction. The addiction develops since every player wants to win the game and you might end up playing the whole day. This game can make people unproductive in the long run.

How to Play 7 Wonders

The board game consists of seven players. Each player is accessible to the seven wonders boards. The player has to sort the cards and pick the one with the highest player counts.

Each player gets three golds, and the game becomes ready to start. The entire game takes three rounds or ages, and it later ends within thirty minutes.

Each player has to examine the cards on their hand during the first round. Choose to keep one card and pass the rest to another player.

The first and third round entails passing the cards in a clockwise direction. The second round requires players to pass the cards in an anticlockwise.

Maintaining the rules of passing the cards help to bring fairness to the game. But the card chosen has an ultimate goal. It is the responsibility of the players to initiate the game and become winners.

Responsibilities of Players in 7 Wonders

Here are the things players need to with the card selected:

Play the Card

Playing the card is a default option. Each player needs to place the card face up. But each card comes with some benefits and costs.

Brown and gray cards are free and they provide resources to the player. Keep in mind that there are instances the player might need gold to acquire the brown and gray cards.

Players use the resources on their right and left to build it. Paying gold to the opponent for each resource used is inevitable.

There is an instance where first and second-round card chains can be used to build those in the third round for free. These cards found on the chain on both cards are part and parcel of it.

Build a Stage of Wonders

The player might choose to place the card face-down in their next round of wonders. It will help to save on the cost of paying for the next wonder stage.

But the player needs to pick a card that inhibits the opponent from getting to their next stage of wonder. You can also opt not to use the cards in the hand while building the wonder stage.

Discard the Card

Building a unique wonder may require the selling of a card for three gold. The gain usually comes with some benefits while building your wonder.

You need three cards to complete your wonders. But each card usually comes with some rewards. Keep in mind that the gains from the cards are ignored and replaced by the costs and rewards of wonders.

End of the Board Game

Players should continue playing until they are left with two cards. There will be no need of passing the cards but place them in the discard bundle.

Players need to start the next round and follow the same rules. The third round is the final stage where the player with more points wins the game.

Score-Line Explanation

The gold card is worth one point at the end of the game and the green card has three symbols that offer seven points. Purple cards are randomly selected and provide one point for each blue card built by the opponents.

Yellow is commonly used in trading for gold and it is worth one point. The red card gives the player 1–5 points depending on the stage. Blue cards are worth more points and resources in a later stage. Each wonder stage comes with some crucial points.

In Conclusion

7 Wonders is an ideal game for both young and old players. It comes with variations that are suitable for players regardless of their experience and age. The unique gameplay mechanism and quick play time make 7 Wonders fun and enjoyable.

The card illustrations and theme of the 7-wonder board is spectacular. These features make the card game accessible for both non-gamers and gamers. It also comes with easy rules to follow and neat game mechanisms.

But an experienced player will be required to brief non-gamers before starting to play. The amateurs will have an easy time picking up and have fun in the long run.

Originally published at https://boardgamesquad.com on April 23, 2021.