Azul: Summer Pavilion

Step into the enchanting world of the 16th Century, where King Manuel I of Portugal dreamt of crafting awe-inspiring architectural wonders. Among his ambitious visions were the illustrious Palaces of Évora and Sintra, alongside a breathtaking summer pavilion fit for the royal family. Unfortunately, the king's dreams remained unfulfilled as he passed before construction could begin. Enter Azul: Summer Pavilion, an immersive board game that allows players to step into the shoes of master artisans and bring this captivating vision to life!

In this game, you'll utilize exquisite materials to design a stunning summer pavilion, all while cleverly managing your resources to ensure nothing goes to waste. The excitement unfolds over six thrilling rounds, with a tile drafting mechanic that encourages strategic placement on your personal player board to accumulate points.

Each round adds an intriguing twist as one of the six colors of tiles is randomly designated as wild. At the start of every round, you'll draw tiles from a bag to stock the factories, offering four vibrant options that present an assortment of choices. Players alternate turns selecting tiles from either the factories or the central area. If you grab a factory with wild tiles, you'll also claim one wild tile alongside your chosen non-wild tiles!

Once tiles have been drafted, it’s time to arrange them elegantly on your board. Each player’s board features seven stars that must be filled with six tiles. Every star has distinct numbered spaces from 1 to 6. For instance, to place a tile in the blue 5 space, you'll need to discard five blue or wild tiles—with at least one blue tile included. Position the blue tile in its designated spot and send the others to the discard tower.

Scoring happens immediately as you secure points for the newly placed tile and any adjacent tiles linked within the star. Complete borders of pillars, statues, or windows with your tiles for instant bonuses, allowing you to replenish your supply directly from the center.

As you progress through the rounds, you can carry over up to four tiles to the next round, but be careful—any excess tiles will cost you points! After an exhilarating six rounds, players tally points from fully completed stars and additional bonuses for covering all seven spaces with values 1, 2, 3, or 4. However, beware: each unused tile will deduct a point from your final score.

Will you embrace the challenge of creating a magnificent summer pavilion that honors the legacy of Portuguese royalty? Dive into Azul: Summer Pavilion and let your artistry shine!