Azul: Pavilhão de Verão

Step back in time to the 16th Century, where a grand vision was born under the reign of King Manuel I. He called upon Portugal's most talented artisans to create stunning buildings, culminating in a magnificent summer pavilion meant to honor the royal family's legacy. Although the ambitious project never came to fruition due to the king's untimely passing, the dream lives on.

In Azul: Summer Pavilion, players immerse themselves in this vibrant historical backdrop, taking on the role of master artisans dedicated to bringing this dream to life. Gather exquisite materials and utilize your skills wisely to construct a pavilion that would make any royal proud. Only the most cunning and resourceful players will succeed in fulfilling this noble challenge.

Gameplay spans six engaging rounds, where players draft colorful tiles and strategically place them on their personal boards to earn points. Each round introduces variability, as one of the six tile colors becomes a wild card!

As the round begins, you’ll draw tiles at random from the bag to populate several factories with four tiles each, refreshing the supply on the central scoring board as needed. Players take turns to draft tiles from these factories, strategically choosing non-wild colors while also claiming wild tiles when available. Alternatively, tiles can be taken from the center, albeit with the same wild tile rule.

Once tiles are in hand, it’s time to arrange them on your board. Each player board features seven mesmerizing stars, each requiring specific tiles for completion. Strategically place a blue tile in the blue 5 star space, for instance, by discarding five blue or wild tiles, ensuring at least one is blue. You’ll earn points not only for the tile placed but also for connecting tiles within the same star.

Complete the surrounding tiles around a pillar, statue, or window on your board, and you'll earn special bonuses, allowing for additional tiles to be claimed from the central supply. Manage your tile resources wisely—carry over up to four tiles to the next round, but watch out! Any excess tiles result in point penalties.

After the thrilling six rounds, players tally their scores with bonuses for fully filled stars and completed spaces of values 1 to 4. Be wary of unused tiles, as they could cost you valuable points in the end!

Will you rise to the occasion and build the summer pavilion that honors the Portuguese royal family? Gather your friends and family, and discover who shall be crowned the ultimate artisan in Azul: Summer Pavilion.