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[Jdaki]

Got this game a week or so ago, and played it a couple of times. It's had some very favourable reviews and sounded like a nice fairly theme neutral game that I could play 2-4 players quite simply but with some depth.

To summarise the game it's about collecting "Prestige points" by buying cards with gems. Some cards give you more buying power. There are a bunch of different colours of gems and limited quantities of them so you do have to develop your way up from cheaper cards towards the very expensive cards. The gems are poker chips and make lovely noises when you chink them together.

The game is relatively short and easy to pick up but with a reasonable amount of different conditions from game to game (much from the "nobles" - additional points that are available to the first player to collect certain combos of cards) There are some simple interactions with others by trying to second guess what cards they are aiming for.

I'll need to play it more, but it certainly is fun and gone down well with the three others I played with- it will get more plays for sure. It is worth at least some of the positivity it has been receiving (potential SdJ winner? I think it is on the shortlist now)

[eHalcyon]

From the buzz, I think it's going to win.  I haven't played it, but it sounds fun.  I now have too many games for the amount of play time I get so I won't be picking this up, at least for now. 

Elaborate more on the "different conditions"?

[Voltaire]

Splendor is the best. It has that "just one more" quality too. Slam-dunk winner, I say.

Plays best with 3-4 I've found, unless I'm missing something about 2 player. I've only played it 5-6 times, and of course it's really hard to judge a game based on that.

Other than that it's fun!

Also, those chips. Oh those chips. Best component ever!

[Kirian]

Splendor is the best. It has that "just one more" quality too. Slam-dunk winner, I say.

Plays best with 3-4 I've found, unless I'm missing something about 2 player. I've only played it 5-6 times, and of course it's really hard to judge a game based on that.

Other than that it's fun!

Also, those chips. Oh those chips. Best component ever!

Aren't they just... poker chips?

[Voltaire]

Aren't they just... poker chips?

Stickered ones, but yes. But when was the last time you played a game with heavy, solid poker chips you can clink together as you think?

I'm actually being serious, in most games these would just be little cardboard pieces.

This isn't to say Splendor is mediocre but OMG CHIPZ, it's just that it's addictive, fun, simple, and also OMG CHIPZ.

[Kirian]

My gaming group uses poker chips all the time, they're often much more convenient for a lot of things.

They also make really good checkers.

Edit:  Also, when you click the chips together?  Everyone at the table hates you.

[Voltaire]

My gaming group uses poker chips all the time, they're often much more convenient for a lot of things.

They also make really good checkers.

Edit:  Also, when you click the chips together?  Everyone at the table hates you.

I think we have different regular gaming groups - mine just plays with in-box components (as I imagine most do), though I recognize how your system is undoubtedly better.

[eHalcyon]

I hear that Power Grid is particularly good when you use poker chips.

[Jdaki]

Well I think the chips fit in particularly well as the chinking is suitably money / gem like. (Not sure I've ever had any gems to clink together though!) It's like most people like the VP and Coin tokens in Dominion- the metal makes a difference from just being cardboard for sure.

The different conditions are because you will see different cards at different times, though for sure after more games you will see the same cards several times, they might not be available at the same time. Also the Nobles are worth a fair chunk of prestige points all in one big hit and they are varied from game to game which gives you different colour combos to aim for.

[eHalcyon]

Well I think the chips fit in particularly well as the chinking is suitably money / gem like. (Not sure I've ever had any gems to clink together though!) It's like most people like the VP and Coin tokens in Dominion- the metal makes a difference from just being cardboard for sure.

The different conditions are because you will see different cards at different times, though for sure after more games you will see the same cards several times, they might not be available at the same time. Also the Nobles are worth a fair chunk of prestige points all in one big hit and they are varied from game to game which gives you different colour combos to aim for.

I was wondering if there were varying special powers or unique goals or something.  Are they all worth a set amount of VP and they just have different costs?

[Jdaki]

IIRC, the nobles are not all worth the same points. They do require you to have different sets of card bonuses. You pick players + 1 for each game from like 9? 10? Can't be bothered to go and check right now.

[eHalcyon]

IIRC, the nobles are not all worth the same points. They do require you to have different sets of card bonuses. You pick players + 1 for each game from like 9? 10? Can't be bothered to go and check right now.

But are they each worth a specific number of points, or do some of them have specific goals?  To put it in Dominion terms, are they more like basic VP (e.g. Duchy, Province, Colony) or are there some that are variable (e.g. Gardens, Fairgrounds, Duke)?

[Thisisnotasmile]

The game is a typical trade-resources-for-stuff Euro game except it has poker chips instead of cubes and "take the resources you want" rather than auction/worker placement/trading/other actual mechanic. Overall I think it's pretty average except for those chips. This is on my birthday list simply for the chips (and also my fiancee may even play it once in a while unlike a lot of my games).

The Nobles pretend to add variety but don't do that at all from my experience. IIRC they're all worth exactly 3 points. You need to have different sets of coloured cards to take them, but the variety in that literally stretches as far as the difference between 3 red, 3 green and 3 black vs. 3 red, 3 blue and 3 white vs. 4 blue and 4 white.

It sort of feels like half a game. Desperately in need of an expansion yet I still want my own copy. That's why it'll win the SdJ.

[Jdaki]

Yep lol I did not remember correctly.
These are the nobles;
http://boardgamegeek.com/thread/1147213/who-are-these-nobles
There is for sure not as much going on as a typical game of Dominion nor as much possible variety but it is a nice game that appeals to a large audience I think. It's not too pricey- you feel like you get a good deal with the components.