splendor board game review

Alright, let me tell ya ’bout this here game, Splendor. They call it a board game, but it ain’t got no board, really. Just a bunch of them little cards and some shiny chips. Kinda like poker, but not really, ya know?

So, this game, Splendor, they say it’s for kids ten and older. But my grandson, little Mikey, he’s only seven and he picked it up quick enough. Kids these days, they’re smart, I tell ya. Smarter than us old folks sometimes, even though they don’t know how to churn butter or fix a fence.

Anyways, the game ain’t hard to learn. You just gotta collect them gems. Little plastic chips, they are. Red ones, blue ones, green ones, all sorts. And then you use them gems to buy cards. And them cards, they give you more gems. It’s all about gettin’ more and more gems, see? Sounds simple, right? Well, it kinda is, but it ain’t so simple you get bored.

• First, you get some gem chips.
• Then, you buy cards with them chips.
• Them cards give you more gems, so you can buy better cards.
• The first one to get enough points wins. That’s it.

The cards, they got pictures of mines and shops and stuff. Supposed to be you’re a merchant, buyin’ and sellin’ gems. But honestly, I don’t pay much attention to that. I just look at the colors and the numbers. Red ones cost three, blue ones cost four, you get the picture.

It’s a quick game, too. Don’t take all afternoon like some of them other games. You can play a round or two after supper and still have time to watch your stories on the TV. That’s what me and the grandkids do, anyways. They come over, we play a bit, then they watch their cartoons and I get to watch my soaps.

Now, some folks say this game ain’t got no theme. Says it’s just about collectin’ gems. And maybe they’re right. But I don’t mind. Sometimes, you just wanna play a game without thinkin’ too much, ya know? Just relax and collect some shiny things. It’s kinda like, well, it’s kinda like pickin’ berries. You just keep pickin’ and pickin’ until your bucket’s full. Only here, your bucket is your hand, and the berries are them plastic gems.

Splendor ain’t got no fancy rules or complicated strategies. You just gotta decide which gems to get and which cards to buy. And sometimes, you gotta watch what the other folks are doin’, so they don’t snatch up the card you want. But it ain’t cutthroat or nothin’. It’s just a nice, friendly game.

I like that it ain’t too long. Some games, they go on forever, and you just wanna quit. But this one, it’s over before you know it. And then you can play again if you want. Or you can go do somethin’ else. It ain’t gonna tie you up all day, which is good, ‘cause I got chores to do, ya know? Gotta feed the chickens, water the garden, all that stuff.

So, if you’re lookin’ for a game that’s easy to learn and fun to play, then I reckon Splendor is a good choice. It ain’t gonna change your life or nothin’, but it’ll give you somethin’ to do on a rainy afternoon. And that’s good enough for me. It’s a nice game to play with the grandkids, or even with your old friends when they come over for a cup of coffee and a chat.

And let me tell you, even though I ain’t the smartest cookie in the jar, I win sometimes! Makes me feel good, ya know? Beatin’ them youngsters at their own game. They think they’re so clever, but sometimes, the old ways are the best ways. Just like in this game. Keep it simple, and you’ll do just fine.

So yeah, go on and try Splendor. It’s a good game. Not too fancy, not too complicated, just right. And that’s all I gotta say about that.

Tags: [Splendor, board game, card game, gem collecting, family game, easy to learn, quick game, strategy game, game review, tabletop game]