Azul (board game): Difference between revisions

| publisher = [[Plan B Games]]

'''''Azul''''' ([[Portuguese language|Portuguese]] and [[Spanish language|Spanish]] for ''"[[blue (color)|blue]]''") is an [[abstract strategy game|abstract strategy]] [[board game]] designed by [[Michael Kiesling]] and released by Plan B Games in 2017. Based on Portuguese tiles called [[azulejo]]s, in ''Azul'' players collect sets of similarly colored tiles which they place on their player board. When a row is filled, one of the tiles is moved into a square pattern on the right side of the player board, where it garners points depending on where it is placed in relation to other tiles on the board.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Goodridge |first1=Michelle |last2=Rohweder |first2=Matthew J. |author-link= |date= November 15, 2021|title=Librarian's Guide to Games and Gamers: From Collection Development to Advisory Services |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=243CEAAAQBAJ|location= |publisher= [[Bloomsbury Publishing]]|page= |isbn=9798216110958}}</ref>

From two to four players collect tiles to fill up a 5x5 squares player board.<ref name="Paste">{{cite web | url=https://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2017/09/its-time-for-some-game-theory-with-the-beautiful-a.html|title = It's Time for Some Game Theory with the Beautiful Azul| work = [[Paste Magazine]]|date = September 28, 2017 | accessdate = December 24, 2017 | first = Keith | last = Law |authorlink=Keith Law (writer)}}</ref> Players collect tiles by taking all the tiles of one colour from a repository, or from the centre of the table, and placing them in a row, taking turns until all the tiles for that round are taken.<ref name="New Indian Express">{{cite web | url=httphttps://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/chennai/2017/dec/15/roll-it-the-azulejo-way-1728524.html| title = Roll it the azulejo way| work = [[The New Indian Express]] | date = December 16, 2017 | accessdateaccess-date = December 24, 2017| first = Arjun | last = Sukumaran}}</ref> At that point, one tile from every filled row moves over to each player's 5x5 board, while the rest of the tiles in the filled row are discarded.<ref name="Paste 2">{{cite web | url=https://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2017/12/the-10-best-board-games-of-2017.html|title = The 10 Best Board Games of 2017| work = [[Paste Magazine]]|date = December 17, 2017 | accessdate = December 26, 2017 | first = Keith | last = Law }}</ref> Each tile scores based on where it is placed in relation to other tiles on the board.<ref name="Ars Technica">{{cite web | url=https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2017/11/the-best-board-games-we-played-at-pax-unplugged/| title = The best board games we played at PAX Unplugged| work = [[Ars Technica]] | date = November 24, 2017 | accessdate = December 24, 2017| first = Nate | last = Anderson}}</ref> Rounds continue until at least one player has made a row of tiles all the way across their 5x5 board. Additional points are awarded at the end of the game for each complete row or column, and for each instance of all five tiles of the same colour being collected.

[[Keith Law (writer)|Keith Law]], writing for ''[[Paste Magazine]]'', said "The theme doesn't really tie into or matter for the game play, but the artwork is just fantastic and...will give ''Azul'' a ton of shelf appeal in a market where maybe publishers don't pay as much attention to that aspect of marketing."<ref name="Paste" />

Nate Anderson of ''[[Ars Technica]]'' described it as "an ideal weeknight game, or a game night opener, or a family title."<ref name="Ars Technical 2">{{Cite news|url=https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2018/07/review-azul-board-game-of-the-year/|title=Review: Azul, board game of the year?|work=[[Ars Technica]]|date = July 28, 2018|access-date=2018-11-22| first = Nate | last = Anderson|language=en-us}}</ref> ''[[The Wirecutter|Wirecutter]]'' described it as having "slightly tricky rules" but is "easy to play" with "beautiful art".<ref name="Wirecutter">{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/board-games-for-adults/|title=The best beginner board games for adults|last1=Perling|first1=Anna|last2=Austin|first2=James|work=[[The Wirecutter]]|publisher=[[The New York Times]]|date=9 December 2019|access-date=12 November 2021}}</ref>

Emily VanDerWerff, writing for ''[[Vox (website)|Vox]]'', said "''Azul'' has made the leap from hardcore hobbyist circles to the shelves of Target and other stores where it might be selected by grandmas shopping for their grandkids...absolutely every aspect of playing the game is at once instantly understandable and agreeably fun – right down to how those tiles feel in your hand."<ref name="Vox">{{Cite news|url=https://www.vox.com/culture/2018/12/22/18139999/best-board-game-2018-azul|title=The confoundingly simple yet deep design of Azul, the best board game of 2018|work=[[Vox (website)|Vox]]|date = December 22, 2018| access-date=2018-12-28| first = Emily | last = VanDerWerff |language=en-us}}</ref>