Santorini, Strategy Family Board Game 2-4 Players Classic Fun Building Greek Mythology Card Game, for Kids & Adults Ages 8 and up

I got this game for, and play it with, my 6 and 7 year old daughters. That's about the lower limit of ages to play it.There are two levels of play: basic rules and god powers. The basic rules alone would have been a great strategy game, the god powers add lots of variety; each god basically has a particular rule exception or bonus (movement, building, victory condition) variation from the basic rules, so you end up with hundreds and hundreds of possible matchups.The basic game is each player has two workers. Each turn you move one worker to any adjacent square (including diagonal) that is not occupied, not capped off, and not more than one level higher than her starting square; and then build in any square adjacent to the square she moved to. You can only build a level 1 block on an empty square, a level 2 block on a level 1 block, a level 3 block on a level 2 block, and you can cap off a level 3 block. To win, you must move one of your workers to a level three block on your turn (some god powers might have put you at level 3 in your build or on another player's turn; that is not a winning condition), or prevent your opponent from having any legal moves.Mechanically, the game is elegant. The rules are simple enough for a child to understand, the board is a simple 5x5 grid, the pieces you build with are simply three decreasing sizes of blocks, and caps. Yet it can be almost chess-like in depth.Components are very nice. There is an "island" base under the board which adds atmosphere but has no function during play. The building pieces are easily distinguished white and blue plastic and make a very attractive looking city. The players' worker figures (there are one male and one female, in blue/beige/grey for up to three players), are cute; you could paint them if you're good at that, but it's not necessary. The god power cards are large and thick cardboard. The basic rules are one page, perfectly clear; the god powers are described over two pages, and can sometimes be a little confusing.This version does not have the ocean "mat" under the island. But like the island base itself, that is a purely cosmetic bit that has nothing whatsoever to do with the gameplay.

What a fantastic strategy game that adults and kids can play together. With the use of the god power cards, it manages to be challenging for adults (truly), yet at the same time, simple enough for kids. Meaning, the adults don't feel bored and the kids don't feel frustrated.If you're looking for a pure strategy game (no dice rolls, or cards to draw, etc.), definitely get this one! I got this game based on all the great reviews out there, and I am really glad I did. Earlier in the year, before the pandemic got rolling, I happened to have bought several board games, including Dixit, Catan Jr., Ticket to Ride Jr., and Kingdomino. We have been home a lot during the pandemic and the kids have been having fun working through the games. Although they have liked all of the games I bought, Santorini has been everybody's favorite.We have played it with the 8 year old and the 5 1/2 year old, and both love it. Since we started playing it, they have taken it out to play themselves several times (we parents will play when we have time). They love the building aspect and they really love the God power cards. I think they really get a kick out of having a power to hold over the other player(s); of course, the biggest kick is the power they get to hold over the adult players. haha.

This game has been on my radar for a bit and after seeing the price drop to a very reasonable $17 it had me thinking "What do I have to lose?" I purchased the game and played it that weekend with my wife. As the instructions suggest, we played first without the God Cards. The game moved quickly and after winning the first round we decided to play two more as is. After three games we felt comfortable with the game mechanics and played another with the God Cards. This was a lot of fun and added some interesting strategy to a game we thought we understood. Like I said, it's easy to learn, but the random combination of God Cards has us curious how each player will match up with their special power against a completely different special power. We're working our way through the deck randomly and can't wait to squeeze a quick game in between having to do other things.

I purchased this game for me and my wife to play. I think it is a brilliantly fun game, and so beautiful! From the game pieces, to the board, it's truly a one-of-a-kind treasure that I think any board game enthusiast will appreciate. The gameplay is simple to learn, but because of the different characters and abilities, it'll have you attempting new and crafty strategies every single time you play it. I can't see it ever going stale or becoming to repetitive. The game will evolve as your play style and familiarity evolves too. I really don't have enough good things to say about this game.My reason for 4 stars is simply for it's difficulty. Like I said, I bought this for me and my wife to play, and it was simply too much strategy and critical thinking for her taste in games. The game really does play out like chess. If one person is simply better, or more tuned for out-thinking your opponent, chances are they will have a much easier time winning. On the contrary, whether two people are novice, or two people are experts, both pairs of people I feel will greatly enjoy this game. So my only gripe is that this game is best played when both parties are on equal skill level.Other than that, I feel this is one of the most unique, and again, beautifully designed games that no other game even compares to when it comes to how aesthetically pleasing this game is. If you want a challenging, fun, competitive, beautifully crafted game, I absolutely recommend this game. Just make sure your competition wants the same thing!