Players will collect wood, goats, molasses, and cutlasses as they build hideouts and ships to expand their pirate-themed empire. The game uses the same trading mechanics as the original, but reduces the number of resources that players have to worry about by one.

Overall strategies can be a bit hard to grasp, and the game’s social aspects can be daunting - especially if you’re dealing with introverts or first-time players.įor my money, Catan Junior is a much more entertaining first-time experience. But, in my opinion, it’s not a particularly great way to welcome people into the hobby these days. Josh RiosĬatan is widely regarded as the first game to bring the board games industry mainstream attention. Each time I’ve played it, 7 Wonders has been a completely different experience. Every age the game changes, forcing players to change strategies mid-game. Those final moments of an age make every card important, since you could be inadvertently giving your neighbors more victory points later in the game.

As the pile of communal cards runs out, players can only earn additional cards by interacting with everyone else at the table. The ramp-up to each new age sets multiple strategies into motion. The game progresses in three thematic rounds called ages, moving from basic woodworking and trading, up through the advent of sawmills and markets, and ending with the rise of worker groups and trade guilds. One might give you more power to combat, while another allows you to grab cards from a discard pile. Those strengths take on the form of buffs or new mechanics that change how you play the game. That’s why so many of the top-tier designers named it to their list of the most influential board games of the last decade.ħ Wonders is a card game based around the seven wonders of the ancient world, each with different strengths. Yet the game also has a constantly rising skill ceiling. Photo: Charlie Hall/The Madison Leader Gazetteħ Wonders shines because it’s easy to pick up and understand, especially while playing for the first time.

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