Azul Board Game Buying Guide

It isn’t laborious to see why the tabletop group seems so enamored by Azul. The colourful tile-drafting recreation is straightforward sufficient to select up in a spherical or two, however the technique at increased ranges can get comparatively deep. Because Azul is so approachable, it’s extensively thought-about to be one of many greatest household board video games out there. That stated, the addictive gameplay and wealth of various variations have additionally made Azul a favourite amongst severe hobbyists.

Outside of the satisfying-feeling tiles and the easy-to-pick-up gameplay, the magic of Azul is that it scales extremely properly. Many video games, whereas claiming to accommodate a variety of opponents, don’t play as properly with some participant counts as others. On the opposite hand, whereas we picked Azul as one of many greatest board video games for 3 gamers, it’s simply nearly as good with two or 4 folks.

Later iterations of Azul have launched wildly completely different rulesets, additional deepening the expertise. Each model doesn’t play like a easy adaption, nonetheless. Sure, the assorted entries all ask gamers to draft superbly crafted tiles and place them on a board, however these packages are sometimes so various that proudly owning a number of variations really is smart for extra than simply the hardcore Azul fanatic. All the assorted titles and expansions could be a bit complicated at first, nevertheless it helps to know that there isn’t a foul choice within the bunch. That stated, for most individuals, it most likely makes essentially the most sense to start with the title that began all of it.

The Games

Azul

Azul Board Game

MSRP: $44.99 USD

Age: 8+
Players: 2-4
Play Time: 30-45 minutes

Azul asks gamers to draft tiles and place them in designated spots on their boards. The aim is to finish columns, rows, and colours, all of which award a set quantity of factors. Of course, the participant with essentially the most factors on the finish of the sport wins. However, strategic gamers will wish to block their opponent from finishing their respective board, which means Azul is a recreation about each offense and protection. This steadiness is a part of what makes Azul nice, and the flexibility to eye a number of boards is what separates novice gamers from expert ones. Like any nice technique recreation, it is about being one step forward of the competitors.

Azul scored excessive in our and gained a number of Board Game of the Year awards due to its easy but elegant gameplay. The superbly crafted tiles each look phenomenal and really feel nice within the hand. As that is essentially the most fundamental iteration of Azul, it’s the beneficial place for many gamers to begin. Don’t let its simplicity idiot you, nonetheless. evaluation matches can get fairly cutthroat, as a lot of the sport revolves round blocking opponents from choosing the tiles they should full their boards. Still, in the event you’re searching for one thing extra complicated, the following few titles within the franchise provide wrinkles that add a little bit of depth to the core gameplay.

Azul: Stained Glass of Sintra

MSRP: $44.99 USD

Age: 8+
Players: 2-4
Play Time: 30-45 minutes

While there are not any unhealthy Azul video games, Stained Glass of Sintra is about as divisive a title because the sequence has. Azul followers who aren’t as scorching on Stained Glass of Sintra are usually nonetheless optimistic about it, however, understandably, gamers have been a bit greatly surprised by this entry as it’s fairly the departure from the unique. Sure, gamers are nonetheless tasked with drafting colourful tiles and enjoying them on their board, however tile placement works a lot in a different way in Stained Glass of Sintra.

Rather than attempting to finish columns and rows, the follow-up focuses extra closely on vertical gameplay. Additionally, a meeple is launched to the sequence (however by no means seen once more afterward) which strikes gamers from one stained glass board to the following. Players accustomed to Azul will undoubtedly catch on slightly shortly, however these new mechanics do add some complexity to the unique gameplay. For these searching for one thing barely deeper than Azul, Stained Glass of Sintra is actually value trying out, as are the following couple of entries on this listing. Additionally, that is a straightforward suggestion for gamers who have already got Azul and are searching for one thing a bit completely different that also manages to scratch the identical itch. But once more, perhaps try the following couple of entries first.

Azul: Summer Pavillion

Azul: Summer Pavilion

MSRP: $44.99 USD

Age: 8+
Players: 2-4
Play Time: 30-45 minutes

Like Stained Glass of Sintra, Azul: Summer Pavilion maintains the identical tile drafting system as the unique recreation however differentiates itself within the placement part. The greatest change to gameplay with Summer Pavilion is the introduction of the wild card tile. Each spherical a brand new shade is chosen to be the wild card, which means it may be used instead of any tile within the recreation.

Like the sooner entries within the sequence, Summer Pavilion maintains its tense drafting part that requires gamers to consider future turns and predict the strikes of their opponents, however the wild card provides a enjoyable and significant twist to the components. The new board additionally affords much more room to attain bonus factors, making Summer Pavilion considerably deeper than the earlier two entries. Not to sound like a damaged document, however many will wish to seize the unique Azul first and later graduate to a title like Summer Pavilion. However, the wild card factor and the deeper scoring system could be sufficient to steer first-time patrons searching for one thing extra superior. If that’s you, then Summer Pavilion is a wonderful place to begin.

Azul: Queen’s Garden

MSRP: $44.99 USD

Age: 10+
Players: 2-4
Play Time: 30-45 minutes

Azul: Queen’s Garden is definitely the farthest departure from the unique title. Both the tile drafting and placement phases are fairly completely different, albeit nonetheless considerably harking back to Azul. However, Queen’s Garden makes a considerable leap in complexity due to tiles that modify in shade and design. Additionally, not solely are gamers drafting tiles, however they’re additionally drafting expansions to their board. These board expansions additionally have to share a sort or a shade with the adjoining tile, including one other wrinkle to the participant’s technique.

Despite differing so drastically from earlier iterations of Azul, Queen’s Garden remains to be a wonderful title. In truth, many gamers get pleasure from it due to its deeper gameplay. Again, newer gamers will probably wish to begin with the unique Azul earlier than attempting out one of many later entries, however, on this case, liking one isn’t essentially an indicator of having fun with the opposite as they’re so completely different. This is actually essentially the most tough title within the sequence, with Summer Pavilion being center floor between it and the unique.

Azul Duel

MSRP: $26.99 USD

Age: 10+
Players: 2
Play Time: 30-45 minutes

There’s a present pattern for specialised 2-player variants of well-liked board video games, and Azul now has it is personal devoted Duel model. It has the identical fundamental gameplay of grabbing teams of matching tiles and assigning them to lanes which go on to create patterns, however there are some fascinating new wrinkles to maintain issues contemporary. Most notably, you now create your goal sample as you go, by choosing dome tiles, slightly than utilizing pre-printed boards. Other adjustments embrace the prospect to select up bonus jokers you’ll be able to alternate at no cost tiles, and the flexibility to stack rejected tiles in an order of your selection, making certain Azul Duel has its personal distinctive really feel among the many sequence, whereas nonetheless retaining its pleasant visible and tactile aesthetics.

Azul: Master Chocolatier

MSRP: $44.99 USD

Age: 8+
Players: 2-4
Play Time: 30-45 minutes

Azul: Master Chocolatier is kind of a reskin of the unique recreation, however with a chocolatey theme. Master Chocolatier does add an Advanced Mode that introduces a slight tweak to the drafting course of thanks to varied symbols on the reverse facet of the mats that may have an effect on scoring or tile placement. If performed on the usual facet, nonetheless, the gameplay stays the identical. The solely different distinction between Master Chocolatier and the unique is the design of the boards and the tiles.

The introduction of the Advanced Mode makes this an intriguing choice over the unique model just because there’s some further variability. Other than that, it is beneficial that gamers select the design and theme that almost all appeals to them.

The Expansions

Azul: Crystal Mozaic

MSRP: $14.99 USD

Components (REQUIRES AZUL)

4 new double-sided participant boards
Plastic overlays to maintain tiles in place

Crystal Mozaic is a comparatively small and cheap enlargement to Azul. The massive change comes within the type of the brand new participant boards that alter the tile placement course of. Scoring is barely completely different, decreasing some penalties for unused tiles and including new bonuses for varied placements.

At its core, that is nonetheless Azul, however Crystal Mozaic provides variability for many who have performed the unique recreation numerous occasions and are searching for one thing barely completely different. It’s not a game-changer by any means, however it might provide extra replayability to your present copy of Azul.

Azul: Glazed Pavilion

Azul: Glazed Pavillion

MSRP: $14.99 USD

Components (REQUIRES AZUL: SUMMER PAVILION)

4 new double-sided participant boards
1 new double-sided central board
Plastic overlays to maintain tiles in place

Glazed Pavilion basically does for Summer Pavilion what Crystal Mozaic does for the unique Azul. The new double-sided participant boards provide completely different scoring choices that modify barely from Summer Pavilion.

Like Crystal Mozaic, Glazed Pavilion is beneficial for gamers who’ve run their copy of Summer Pavilion into the bottom and are searching for a brand new solution to expertise an outdated favourite. It’s not an exceptionally thrilling change, nevertheless it’s a comparatively cheap choice so as to add extra replayability to an excellent recreation.

Other Versions

Azul Mini

Azul Mini is precisely what it seems like; it’s simply Azul however at a fraction of the dimensions. Azul Mini is right for anybody operating out of house on their bookshelf or of their closet however nonetheless needs to personal among the best household video games in recent times. Not to say, this model is nice for touring. Just don’t misplace the smaller parts.

5211: Azul Edition

MSRP: $12.99 USD

Age: 8+
Players: 2-5
Play Time: 20 minutes

5211: Azul Edition isn’t an Azul title in any respect, however slightly, a reskinned model of the 5211 card recreation. 5211 is a fairly easy and quick-playing recreation the place gamers draw 5 playing cards, and every spherical has them enjoying two playing cards, one card, after which one once more. (See what they did there?) After figuring out the bulk shade on the desk on the finish of every spherical, gamers take again their playing cards of that shade to tally up on the finish of the sport for factors. There are some enjoyable twists baked in as properly. For instance, too many playing cards of the identical shade on the desk can result in a bust, and the following hottest shade playing cards are taken.

There are 5 completely different colours of playing cards in 5211, however within the Azul Edition, these colours are changed by 5 tile designs impressed by the aesthetic of the unique Azul. That’s actually the one distinction. It’s a sensible tactic from writer Next Move Games as Azul is likely one of the hottest titles within the medium. Despite its lack of similarities, nonetheless, followers of Azul should still get pleasure from 5211 as it’s one more simple-to-learn recreation with layers of technique.

Azul: Digital

There’s nothing like getting a gaggle of pals or relations round a desk to get pleasure from a enjoyable recreation, however when that isn’t an choice, enjoying on-line is usually a strong solution to go. Along with lots of of different titles, Azul is out there to play on Board Game Arena with a Premium Membership. Board Game Arena does provide many free titles, however video games like Azul, Wingspan, Ark Nova, Terraforming Mars, CATAN, Ticket to Ride, and lots of of others can be found to play on-line for simply $3.00 per 30 days, billed at $36.00 yearly.

Bottom Line

Azul is such a flexible recreation that it suits properly in just about any assortment. The Azul sequence has progressively moved additional and additional away from the straightforward gameplay mechanics that made the title well-known, nevertheless it has nonetheless managed to take care of a cohesive feel and look all through. For most gamers, the primary entry is a wonderful place to begin with a number of choices to degree as much as afterward. Queen’s Garden affords one thing for hardcore strategists whereas Summer Pavilion lies someplace in between. Of course, many of those titles will be bought properly beneath the acknowledged MSRP at retailers like Amazon, Target, and Walmart. To probably rating the most effective value, make certain to comply with our board recreation offers protection which is consistently up to date with the newest gross sales.

For some nice tabletop suggestions, see our collections of the greatest four-player board video games along with our picks for the greatest two-player board video games.

Bobby Anhalt is a contributing freelancer for IGN overlaying board video games and LEGOs. He has greater than eight years of expertise writing in regards to the gaming trade with bylines at Game Rant, Screen Rant, TheXboxHub, and Ranker. You can comply with him on Twitter.

Azul Board Game Buying Guide

The Games

Azul