Board game review – Santorini
During a fun games weekend in the Ardennes I got to know board game Santorini . For me it was love at first sight. Are you curious if this divine game is also something for you? Then be sure to read this Santorini game review !
Board game Santorini – Theme & Design
Santorini is one of the most beautiful Greek islands ( Click here for proof! ), Partly thanks to the typical white houses with the blue domed roofs. And that is what the board game Santorini is all about!
Each player gets two workers who, with a little help from the gods, fill the island of Santorini with towers. The player who is the first to get a worker on the third floor of such a tower wins the game!
Santorini is an accessible “abstract” strategy game that was nicely designed by David Forest and Lina Cosette. In itself, the Greek theme does not really play an important role, but the game mechanism lends itself nicely to it. Nice setting too, Santorini. Something different like that!
The game material is basic, but beautiful and of good quality. All components – except the cardboard game board and the gods cards – are made of sturdy plastic. The game comes with handy plastic bags to keep all components neatly together, although it is sometimes a bit of cramming to get all those building blocks back in the box.
Board game Santorini – Setup
Santorini is set up very quickly:
- The game board is placed in the center.
- The players take turns placing their workers on the board.
- The god cards and building blocks are placed next to the game board.
And that’s it ! (I told you: very quickly!)
Board game Santorini – Game sequence
Santorini is a strategy board game for 2-4 players and lasts an average of 20 minutes . The game was created by Gordon Hamilton and published by Roxley and Spin Master .
Players must take turns two actions to take:
- Move a worker to an adjacent space (workers can go up one level and down as many levels as desired).
- Build a floor or dome (blue roof) on an empty or built-up space adjacent to the moved worker.
Workers cannot move to or build on a space already occupied by another worker.
Furthermore, as a player you can build towers up to 3 levels high with a dome , but you must always choose the correct block shape for the level that is being built. A 3-storey tower with a dome is ‘finished’.
In this way, all the workers move through Santorini and slowly but surely build the island full of towers. If one of your workers climbs level 3 on your turn , you immediately win the game! If you cannot make 1 of the 2 compulsory moves during the game, you lose the game.
Have you finished your first rounds of the basic game? Then you can start using the gods cards. Each player then receives their own gods card with a certain power that he or she can use throughout the game.
Most divine forces affect the way workers move and build . For example, with ‘Artemis’ at your side you can move your worker one extra space. With the help of ‘Atlas’ you can then build a dome on every level, also on the ground.
Board game Santorini – Game experience
The charm of Santorini is that the game, with very few and very easy rules of the game, manages to bring a lot of strategic depth , for young and old, for novices and experienced players. There is actually no happiness factor involved.
It feels a bit like an airy form of chess or checkers, but with 3 dimensions: height, length and width. During the game you always try to plan some moves ahead to get a worker to level 3 as quickly as possible, but at the same time you also have to keep an eye on your opponents and if necessary – literally – jam them by closing them in or unexpectedly on a dome. their roof.
The basic game itself is great fun, but the gods cards ensure that every game is really different and that there is always an extra challenge for the more experienced players . Nice!
Do you play with three? Then the dynamics of the game change slightly. You are less focused on “that one other” (or you should), so you lose sight of cunning players sooner. When 2 dogs fight over a bone …
In theory you can also play the game with 4. You then play in 2 teams of 2, where teams take turns alternately and each team player moves a worker in turn. Each player also gets their own divine power. I haven’t played it with 4 myself yet, but it doesn’t seem like much fun either, honestly.
Board game Santorini – Accessibility
Santorini is one of the most accessible games I’ve played. Easy to learn and play! The rules of the game are also well explained and nicely and clearly illustrated with examples.
It is also a versatile game. Both your family and your more experienced board game friends can enjoy it to the fullest, although the latter may make it that little bit more tactical (although I don’t want to underestimate your family of course ;-)).
Board game Santorini – Conclusion
Santorini is a beautiful, fun and airy abstract strategy game that still offers a lot of depth and variety, especially thanks to the gods cards. There is no luck involved, which is good news for strategists. Players who prefer to try their luck should ignore the game.
The theme is original and the game plays smoothly. Games do not last longer than 20 to 25 minutes. Are you looking for a fun family game or a fun gateway or warm-up for your next board game night? Then be sure to visit Santorini !
