“Greece is the most magical place on Earth.”

~Kylie Bax

Santorini is a highly accessible pure strategy game.

A VERY simple game to explain 🙂

Each player has two little minis and you take turns placing them anywhere on the board to get things started.

On your turn, you move one space and then build on a space next to you… When you build you put a ground-level piece on the floor then in future turns a second-level piece can be added on top of it. Then a 3rd level bit on top of that later.

Anyone can build anywhere, no one owns any of the buildings.

You can build on any level, even on the 3rd floor from the ground, but you can only move up one level at a time.

Blue domes can be built on top of the 3rd floor to cap them off and a mini can’t stand on them.

The goal is to get one of your minis to stand on the 3rd floor of a building to win, simple.

That’s it!

Positives

Excellent production, great components and a great look to the game with nice art too.

The board is on a raised platform which is a nice touch…

Good tactical gameplay. You’re attacking and defending all the time, like my favourite abstract Kamisado.

Each player has a different player power (Based on Greek Gods) and there are over 40 to pick from so each game will differ. Some powers give the alternate win and set up conditions which increase replay-ability even more.

My power was to pick up an adjacent mini belonging to the opponent and move it to the other side of me before I took my turn. Of course, Charon moves people in Greek Mythology down the River Styx.

The game looks like Santorini, the real island of Santorini.

Negatives

Multiple-player games are in teams with no communication. Haven’t tried it but I’m not keen to either.

Expensive for a fairly abstract tactical game.

Santorini Summary

A very good game, very tactical and seems highly re-playable.