7 Wonders (board game)

7 Wonders is a card drafting civilization-building board game designed by Antoine Bauza and originally published in 2010. The game is designed for 2-7 players (although expansions allow for play up to 8 players or team play) and typically lasts around 30 minutes.

The game revolves around developing your city over three ages by collecting resources, developing commercial routes, constructing military might, and advancing scientific knowledge. Players simultaneously select cards from a hand, play one, and pass the remaining cards to their neighbor. This mechanic is known as card drafting.

Each player starts with a "Wonder," which is a unique player board representing an ancient wonder of the world. These Wonders grant special abilities and scoring opportunities. Players develop their civilizations by constructing structures represented by cards in one of seven types: resources, commercial, military, science, guilds, civilian, and wonder stages.

Resources provide materials needed to build other structures. Military cards increase military strength, which is used to compete with neighboring players. Science cards provide scientific symbols, which can score points through sets and individual symbols. Civilian structures generally provide victory points. Commercial structures generate income or improve trading. Guilds, available only in the third age, provide varied scoring bonuses based on the civilizations developed by the player and their neighbors. Wonder stages provide bonus points and various advantages.

At the end of each age, players compare their military strength with their two neighbors (left and right). Victors in military conflicts gain military victory points, while losers suffer a point penalty.

The winner is the player with the most victory points at the end of the third age. Victory points are earned through a combination of military victories, civilian structures, scientific advancements, commercial development, guild influence, wonder stages, and treasure.

7 Wonders is known for its fast gameplay, strategic depth, and high replayability. It has won numerous awards and is considered a modern classic of board game design.