Azul is a tile placement game that takes players on a journey into the world of artistry and craftsmanship. Each player becomes an artisan tasked with creating the most beautiful and intricate tiled mosaics. The game is designed to be competitive and challenging, as players must strategically claim tiles and carefully arrange them on their personal game boards to score points. With each turn, players must decide which tiles to claim and which to leave for their opponents, making each move a calculated risk. As the game progresses, players must adapt to changing circumstances and opportunities, working to create the most aesthetically pleasing and high-scoring mosaic possible. With its simple but engaging gameplay mechanics, stunning visual design, and endless strategic possibilities, Azul is a true masterpiece of modern board game design.
Game history
Azul was first published in 2017 by the game publisher Plan B Games, and it quickly became a hit with both casual and serious board gamers. In fact, Azul won the prestigious Spiel des Jahres (Game of the Year) award in 2018, which is the most highly regarded award in the board gaming industry.
The game has since been translated into several languages and has spawned a number of expansions and spin-offs, including Azul: Stained Glass of Sintra and Azul: Summer Pavilion.
One of the things that sets Azul apart from other board games is its unique tile drafting mechanic. Each round, players take turns selecting tiles from a common pool and placing them on their personal player board. Players must carefully balance the number and type of tiles they collect in order to maximize their score while avoiding penalties for wasted tiles.
Another notable feature of Azul is its striking visual design. The game’s tiles are inspired by traditional Moorish patterns and are available in a variety of vibrant colors. The game also includes a number of high-quality components, including thick cardboard player boards and chunky resin scoring markers.
Overall, Azul is a well-designed and engaging board game that offers a unique and satisfying gameplay experience. Its combination of strategic tile drafting and beautiful aesthetics has made it a favorite among gamers and non-gamers alike.
How to play
In Azul, the gameplay revolves around drafting tiles from a central market and strategically placing them onto individual game boards. As players compete to create the most beautiful tiled mosaics, they must also focus on earning extra points by collecting sets of the same color tiles and creating particular patterns. However, players must also be careful not to take tiles that they can’t use, as there are penalties for doing so. These penalties can significantly impact a player’s score, making it crucial to plan each move carefully. As the game progresses, players must constantly adapt their strategies to make the most of the available tiles, create intricate patterns, and avoid penalties. With its intuitive gameplay mechanics, engaging strategic gameplay, and stunning visuals, Azul is a board game that offers endless hours of challenging and rewarding fun for players of all skill levels.
Azul is a game where every move counts, and each tile you claim affects what your opponents can take next. Players must plan carefully to score big points while also disrupting their opponents’ plans. The game is full of difficult choices that must be made, as players must find ways to benefit themselves without helping their opponents too much. For example, a player may choose to take a certain tile to complete a specific pattern on their game board, but doing so may also give their opponent the opportunity to claim a tile that they need. As a result, players must constantly analyze the board and the available tiles, anticipating their opponents’ moves and adapting their strategies accordingly. The key to success in Azul is finding the right balance between selfishness and selflessness, making choices that benefit the player while also limiting their opponents’ options.
Age Group
Azul is a board game that is perfect for both adults and families, as it offers a unique and engaging gameplay experience that can be enjoyed by players of all ages. The game can be played with 2 to 4 players, making it an ideal choice for small groups of friends or family members. With a recommended age range of 8 years and older, Azul is accessible to a wide range of players, from kids to adults. The average playtime for the game is around 30 to 45 minutes, making it a quick and easy option for game nights or other gatherings. Despite its relatively short playtime, Azul offers a deep and challenging gameplay experience that will keep players coming back for more. Whether you’re a seasoned board game enthusiast or just looking for a fun and engaging way to spend an evening with friends and family, Azul is a game that is definitely worth checking out.
Individual player boards
Azul is a game of strategy and skill, where players take turns drafting colored tiles from suppliers and placing them onto their individual player boards. Throughout the round, players must carefully consider the best way to decorate the palace and earn points. Extra points are awarded for specific patterns and for completing sets, adding an extra layer of depth to the gameplay. However, players must also be mindful of wasted supplies, as these can harm their final score. The ultimate goal of the game is to accumulate the most points by the end of the game, with the player with the highest score being declared the winner. With its engaging gameplay mechanics, challenging strategic decisions, and beautiful visual design, Azul is a game that offers endless hours of fun and entertainment for players of all levels of experience.
Azul game penalties
Azul is a tile placement game that requires players to draft tiles from a central market and strategically place them into rows on their game boards. The goal is to create the most beautiful tiled mosaics and earn the highest score possible. To do so, players must carefully consider each move, as they can earn extra points by collecting sets of the same color tile and creating specific patterns. However, players must also be careful not to take tiles that they cannot use, as there are penalties for doing so. These penalties can significantly impact a player’s score, making it essential to plan each move carefully. As the game progresses, players must constantly adapt their strategies to make the most of the available tiles, create intricate patterns, and avoid penalties.
Winner Decision in Azul board game
In Azul, one of the core mechanics of the game involves scoring points based on the majority color of tiles placed on a player’s board. However, there is a catch – if too many tiles of a particular color are placed, that color busts, and the second most color scores instead. This mechanic adds an extra layer of strategy to the game, as players must carefully balance their tile placement to avoid busting and maximize their points. In the event of a tie for majority, the tied colors are also out of the running, adding another layer of complexity to the game. These rounds are repeated until the deck of tiles runs out, with players constantly adapting their strategies and making strategic choices to score the most points possible. At the end of the game, the player with the highest score is declared the winner.
The Azul: Summer Pavilion expansion
The Azul: Summer Pavilion expansion was released in 2019 and introduced new player boards and score boards that offer players different starting options and strategic choices.
In addition to the new player boards, the expansion also includes unique scoring mechanics that allow players to earn extra points for certain tile patterns and placements. The plastic overlays that come with the expansion are also a nice touch, as they help keep the tiles in place during play and prevent them from sliding around on the board.
One of the most interesting aspects of the Summer Pavilion expansion is its emphasis on creating intricate tile patterns. The new player boards feature circular patterns with a variety of different colors and shapes, which adds an extra layer of challenge and strategy to the game. Players must carefully plan their moves in order to create these patterns and score the most points.
Overall, the Azul: Summer Pavilion expansion is a great addition to the base game, offering new gameplay options and mechanics while still maintaining the same level of quality and visual appeal that made the original game so popular.
The Azul Master Chocolatier Limited Edition
The Azul Master Chocolatier Limited Edition Board Game is a special version of the original Azul game that was released in 2021. This version of the game features a new theme centered around the world of chocolate making, with players taking on the role of master chocolatiers competing to create the most delicious and beautiful chocolates.
The game includes several unique components, such as chocolate-shaped resin tiles in a variety of colors, a chocolate factory player board, and special scoring markers shaped like cocoa beans. The gameplay mechanics are similar to the original Azul game, with players drafting tiles and placing them on their player boards to create patterns and score points.
One of the key differences in the Master Chocolatier edition is the addition of new gameplay elements, such as the ability to earn bonus points for creating certain chocolate flavors or for completing special orders from customers. There are also new penalty tiles, such as moldy chocolates, that can subtract points from a player’s score if they are not careful.
The limited edition nature of the game also makes it a collector’s item for fans of the Azul series. Only a limited number of copies were produced, and each game comes with a numbered certificate of authenticity signed by the game’s designer, Michael Kiesling.
Board Games similar to Azul
Azul has some unique gameplay mechanics and a distinctive theme, but there are a few other board games that it shares some similarities with. Here are a few examples:
- Sagrada: This game also features a drafting mechanic and involves players placing colored dice on a grid to create patterns. Like Azul, Sagrada has a strong visual component and requires players to think strategically about their moves.
- Patchwork: In this two-player game, players compete to create the best quilt by strategically placing fabric patches on their boards. Like Azul, Patchwork involves drafting and placement mechanics, as well as a focus on creating aesthetically pleasing patterns.
- Century: Spice Road: This game involves players collecting and trading spices in order to fulfill contracts and earn points. Like Azul, Century: Spice Road involves a resource management mechanic and requires players to think strategically about how they collect and use their resources.
Overall, while Azul is a unique game in its own right, it shares some similarities with other popular board games in terms of its mechanics and gameplay.
Important Rules
Sure, here are some important rules of Azul in the form of numbered points:
- At the beginning of the game, each player starts with a game board that has five rows of spaces to place tiles.
- The center of the table holds a set of factory displays, each with four randomly chosen tiles from the bag.
- On a player’s turn, they may choose to take all of the tiles of one color from one of the factory displays, or take all of the tiles of one color from the center of the table.
- After taking tiles, the player must place them on one of the rows on their game board. They may place tiles on any row, but the tiles must all be the same color and must be placed in a single horizontal row.
- When a player selects tiles from a factory display in Azul board game, they must select all of the tiles of the same color from that display and move them to one of the rows on their personal player board. The selected tiles are placed in the corresponding row on the player’s board, while any remaining tiles on the factory display are moved to the center of the table and placed in the appropriate color box on the “discarded tiles” area.
- If the player chooses to take tiles from the center of the table, they must also take all tiles of the same color from the pool, and place them in a single row on their player board. After the player has taken tiles from either the factory display or the center of the table, the next player takes their turn, starting with choosing a factory display.
- If a player cannot place all of the tiles they have taken, they must place the remaining tiles on the floor of their game board, which will count as negative points at the end of the round.
- Once all players have taken tiles, any remaining tiles on the factory displays are moved to the center of the table and the next round begins.
- The round ends when a player has completely filled one row on their game board, at which point they score points for that row and the tiles are removed from the board.
- Players can also score bonus points by completing sets of five tiles of the same color, or by completing horizontal rows on their game board.
- At the end of the game, players subtract the points for any tiles on their floor from their total score, and the player with the highest score wins.
Requirement for a 2 player game
For a two-player game of Azul, you would only need two game boards (one for each player). Each game board has five rows of spaces for placing tiles.
In addition to the game boards, you would also need the following components:
- 100 resin tiles in five different colors (20 of each color)
- 5 factory displays
- 4 scoring markers
- 1 starting player marker
Keep in mind that the number of components can vary depending on the edition or version of the game. Always refer to the rule book for the specific components and setup instructions for your version of Azul.
Factory Displays
In Azul board game, each factory display should have 5 tiles, regardless of the number of players in the game.
The factory displays play an important role in Azul, as they are the primary source of tiles for players to collect and use to complete their game boards. Here are some specific reasons why factory displays are important in the game:
- Tile Collection: The factory displays hold tiles that players can collect on their turn. Players choose one factory display and take all tiles of the same color from that display. The tiles collected from the factory display are added to the player’s supply and can be used to fill spaces on their game board.
- Tile Placement: The factory displays determine where the tiles are placed on the game board. After taking tiles from a factory display, the player must immediately place them on one of the rows of their game board. The player can only place tiles on a row if there is space available and if the tiles meet certain requirements (e.g., all tiles in a row must be the same color).
The correct number of factory displays for each player count is:
- 2 players: 5 factory displays
- 3 players: 7 factory displays
- 4 players: 9 factory displays
Scoring Guide
In Azul board game, players score points by completing rows on their player board with tiles of the same color. At the end of each round, players score points based on the completed rows on their board, as well as for any bonus points earned from completed sets of tiles.
Here’s how scoring works in Azul:
- Completed Rows: Players earn one point for each tile in a completed row. A row is considered completed when it contains tiles of the same color equal to the number of spaces in the row. For example, a row with four spaces must have four tiles of the same color to be considered completed.
- Bonus Points: Players can earn bonus points for completing sets of tiles in a single row or column. If a player completes all five rows of the same color, they earn a 10-point bonus. If they complete all five columns of the same color, they earn a 7-point bonus.
- Negative Points: If a player has any tiles left over at the end of the round, they lose one point for each tile left in the discard pile.
After scoring, the round ends, and a new round begins with players continuing to take turns selecting tiles from the factory displays and adding them to their player boards. The game ends when a player completes a row in their fifth round, and final scoring is then calculated.
Our buying experience
I recently purchased the Azul board game from Amazon for my family to enjoy during our game nights. The ordering process was easy and I was excited to receive the game quickly so we could start playing.
However, the game arrived a few days later than expected, which was a bit disappointing. But when we finally received it, we were very pleased with the game itself. The packing was excellent, with all the pieces securely wrapped and protected.
When we played the game, my kids absolutely loved it! They enjoyed the strategy involved and the challenge of completing each row. The game was easy to set up and play, and the quality of the pieces was great.
Overall, we had a great experience with the Azul board game, despite the delayed delivery. I would definitely recommend it to other families looking for a fun and engaging game to play together.
