Overview
Splendor is a quick strategy game where you assume the role of a wealthy merchant tasked with acquiring precious stones. I came across Splendor in my search for a good game to play with my wife, and it did not disappoint. With 2 people you can finish a game within 30 minutes, so we usually end up playing a few rounds.
Components
There are 3 decks of cards (going from most affordable/least valuable to most expensive/most valuable), a set of nobles cards, and 6 types of gem chips. The cards feel sturdy and are beautifully illustrated. They card designs look different (in a good way) than what is pictured on Amazon. The nobles cards are nice and thick. The chips feel very solid and have a nice weight to them. They do not feel cheap.
Gameplay
Splendor is deceptively easy to learn and plays fairly quickly - if people are paying attention. Paying attention is key, because everyone’s cards/tokens are available for all to see at all times. Setup involves shuffling the 3 separate decks of cards (labelled I, II, and III on the back) and laying out 4 cards from each deck next to the decks. There are also nobel cards that will be shuffled and placed on the table for everyone to see. Amazon’s picture shows how the playing area is set up. The last component are the chips which are stacked up and placed in view of all players. Players take turns deciding if they want to take 2 chips of the same color, 3 chips of different colors, buying a card with chips they already have, or reserving a card. Once you buy a card, it’s value can be put toward the purchase of other cards, and you do not lose any cards you’ve purchased. Some of the cards have numbers on them which represent victory points. The first to 15 victory points wins. The nobles can be earned by obtaining the number of cards listed on the noble’s card (ex 3 blue cards, 3 red cards, 2 white cards). Whoever is the first to obtain the required cards automatically gets the noble card and the victory points along with it.
While the idea of collecting chips to buy cards is simple enough, there is a bit of strategy needed if you want to win. If you don’t have a plan to buy certain colors, in order to buy other colors, in order to finally acquire a certain noble, you may very well end up losing. And even when you have a plan, sometimes the chips you want or the card you want are no longer available, and you have to make a plan B. Part of the fun comes in when you figure out what your opponent is trying to do, and reserve or buy the card they needed, just to cut them down a peg. Some might think its a jerk move (AKA my wife) but I’m playing to win!
If people are paying attention and thinking about what they want to do on their turn, then turns, and games can go by pretty quickly. 15 points is not a lot once you figure out how to play the game. But if you have that person that you always have to say “hey it's your turn” then the game will take a bit longer. The game plays great with just 2 people up to the max of 4 people. There is plenty of replayability and you will have to adjust your strategy a little each time depending on the cards and nobles in play.
Summary
I own a number of board games (such as Dominion, Smash Up, Munchkin, 7 Wonders, Citadels, Love Letter), most of which are more complex than Splendor. Whenever I want to relax and play a game with my wife, Splendor is one of my first choices. It’s quick enough that we can easily fit in a game or two, yet has enough strategy to make it an enjoyable game to come back to again and again. I paid around $30 for the game, which I felt was a fair price. It is a great for light gaming but people who have played heavier board games can also enjoy it.
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