Splendor: Game of the Month October 2020
October has been a month of abundance in terms of board games played. Taking part in a 24 hour board game marathon for Dementia UK certainly helped the tally! I was delighted to raise over £1200 to help fund Admiral Nurses and I am very grateful to all those who donated. Despite a plethora of games making it to the table, there was one that we have particularly enjoyed playing. In fact, it is one we always enjoy playing. The Board Game Review game of the month for October is Splendor!
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Splendor is a card drafting set collection game that was released in 2014. For those unfamiliar with that terminology you will be buying your own personal hand of cards from a shared central pool. Set during the renaissance, you are merchants trading gem stones (poker chip tokens) to gain property (cards) in attempt to please nobility (noble tiles). The aim of the game is to be the first to achieve 15 victory points.
One thing I love about Splendor is that it is generally extremely close. Almost all games finish with another player exclaiming ‘I would’ve won on my next go’. It is a strategic game tinged with luck of the turn of cards that is mitigated enough through there being plenty of options. Despite the strategy, my 9 year old son, George, can win fair and square, probably more often than I can. That makes for a brilliant family experience. My five year old Max can play, but is a bit young for it and will seldom win.
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The gameplay is supplemented by some great components, poker chip gems, stunning artwork on the cards, and some very familiar nobles. All in all, Splendor is a great game, and if you’re like me, you will be excited to hear there is a new Marvel-themed version that has just been released!
Reviewer’s Note
For clarity. We don’t get paid for our reviews. We purchased this game with our own money, this has not affected our review in any way.
