World Wonders

2023

In World Wonders, step into the shoes of great past leaders, strategically spend gold to build and grow your city, and earn victory points to win the game!

70
minutes

1 - 5
player(s)

12+

Medium

About the game

Welcome to the fascinating realm of World Wonders, a board game that takes you on an unforgettable journey through the marvels of human history and architecture. Set against the backdrop of the world’s most iconic architectural masterpieces, this game combines strategic thinking, resource management, and a touch of luck.

The setting of World Wonders is as grand as the name suggests. The game board is a beautifully illustrated map of the world, dotted with the locations of awe-inspiring structures such as the Great Wall of China, the Pyramids of Egypt, the Colosseum in Rome, and many more. Each location is a destination that players strive to visit and claim.

Game components Unboxing the fun!

The board game ‘World Wonders’ is a strategy game that takes you on a journey through the most famous wonders of the world. The game includes multiple components, each with its own purpose and interaction within the game.

1. Game Board:

The game board is a colorful, detailed map of the world with spots marking the locations of various wonders. Players move their tokens along paths on the board to reach these wonders.

2. Wonder Cards:

These are a set of cards that represent each of the wonders featured in the game. Each card contains information about the wonder, including its location and historical significance, as well as game-related information such as the rewards for reaching it.

3. Player Tokens:

Each player is given a token, which they move around the board. The token’s position on the board represents the player’s current location in their journey around the world.

4. Dice:

The dice is used to determine how many spaces a player can move their token during their turn. The number rolled on the dice equals the number of spaces moved.

5. Challenge Cards:

These cards are drawn at random during the game. Each card presents a challenge that the player must overcome, such as a natural disaster or a historical event. Successfully overcoming a challenge can provide rewards, while failure can result in penalties.

6. Resource Cards:

Resource cards represent various resources that players can collect and use throughout the game. These resources can help players overcome challenges, reach wonders faster, or gain other advantages.

7. Reward Tokens:

These tokens are given to players as rewards for reaching wonders or overcoming challenges. Each reward token provides a specific advantage, such as extra moves, additional resources, or bonus points at the end of the game.

All of these components interact to create a dynamic and engaging game experience. Players must strategically use their resources and navigate challenges in order to reach the wonders and collect reward tokens. The player with the most points at the end of the game, calculated through reached wonders and reward tokens, is declared the winner.

Game setup Lay it out, line it up, let’s go

‘World Wonders’ is a globally celebrated board game that takes you on a thrilling journey to construct the famous wonders of the world. The game is a blend of strategy, resource management, and trading. Here is a comprehensive step-by-step guide on how to set up the game.

Step 1: Player Roles

Each player chooses a civilization to represent in the game. Civilizations have unique abilities and bonuses that will help players during the game. Players should select their civilization randomly from the deck of civilization cards.

Step 2: Board Placement

Lay the game board in the center of the playing area. The game board consists of a world map with various territories and resource spots. Each player places their civilization’s marker on their starting territory, as indicated on their civilization card.

Step 3: Initial Resources

Each player receives an initial amount of resources according to their chosen civilization. Resources include materials (stone, wood, and metal), labor (workers), and currency (gold). The specific amount of each resource is listed on the civilization card.

Step 4: Wonder Cards

Shuffle the deck of Wonder cards and deal three to each player. These cards represent the wonders that players will strive to construct during the game. Players should keep their Wonder cards secret from other players.

Step 5: Resource Spots

Randomly distribute resource tokens on the resource spots on the game board. Each spot should receive one token, which represents the type and amount of resource that can be collected from that spot.

Step 6: Event Cards

Shuffle the deck of Event cards and place it face down near the game board. At the start of each round, the top card of the deck will be revealed and its instructions followed. Event cards introduce random elements and challenges to the game.

Step 7: Initial Turn Order

Determine the initial turn order randomly. This can be done by drawing civilization cards from a shuffled deck, rolling dice, or any other method agreed upon by the players. The player who goes first will have the first opportunity to take actions during the game.

With these steps, you are now ready to start your journey in ‘World Wonders’. Enjoy the game!

Game flow Round and round we go

‘World Wonders’ is a strategic board game where players explore different historical wonders of the world. The game is structured in a series of rounds, and each round consists of two main phases: the Exploration Phase and the Building Phase.

In the Exploration Phase, players perform the following actions in order:

Draw Cards: Each player draws a card from the deck. This could be a Resource Card, which is used to build wonders, or an Event Card, which can have various effects on the game.
Trade Resources: Players may trade Resource Cards amongst themselves. Trades must be made in equal values.
Resolve Event Cards: If a player drew an Event Card, they must resolve its effects immediately. This could involve gaining or losing resources, or affecting other players.

After all players have completed the Exploration Phase, the game moves on to the Building Phase. In this phase, players can:

Build Wonders: Players can use their Resource Cards to build wonders. Each wonder requires a specific combination of resources to build.
Earn Victory Points: Once a wonder is built, the player earns Victory Points. The number of points depends on the wonder built.
Draw Wonder Cards: After building, the player draws a new Wonder Card, revealing the next wonder they can build.

After the Building Phase, a new round begins with the Exploration Phase again. The game continues in this manner until one player reaches a predetermined number of Victory Points, at which point they are declared the winner.

Players'turn One turn to rule them all

In the board game ‘World Wonders’, a player’s turn consists of several key actions that could significantly affect the gameplay. Understanding the implications of each action is crucial to playing the game strategically.

1. Draw a Card

At the start of a player’s turn, the player must draw a card from the draw pile. The card could be a Wonder card, Action card, or Resource card. Each card type has different implications:

Wonder Card: These cards represent historical sites and monuments. Players can use these cards to build wonders and earn points.
Action Card: These cards provide one-time abilities that can give a player an advantage or disrupt opponents. They include actions such as stealing resources, destroying a wonder, or drawing extra cards.
Resource Card: These cards are required to build wonders. They represent various materials like stone, wood, or gold.

2. Play a Card

After drawing a card, the player can play one card from their hand. This could be an Action card, a Wonder card, or a Resource card:

Action Card: If the player chooses to play an Action card, they follow the instructions on the card and then discard it.
Wonder Card: If the player plays a Wonder card, they must also discard the appropriate Resource cards from their hand to build it. The newly built wonder is placed in front of the player and will provide points at the end of the game.
Resource Card: If a player plays a Resource card, it is placed in their resource pool for future use.

3. Discard

If a player chooses not to or cannot play a card, they must discard a card from their hand at the end of their turn. Discarded cards are placed in a communal discard pile.

4. Strategic Choices

A player’s choice of actions can significantly affect the outcome of the game:

Building Wonders: Building wonders is the primary way to earn points. Players should aim to build as many wonders as possible while also preventing opponents from doing so.
Using Action Cards: Using action cards at the right time can provide a significant advantage. For example, a player might use an action card to steal resources just before an opponent is about to build a wonder.
Managing Resources: Managing resources is critical. Players should aim to maintain a balance of resources, as having too many of one resource and not enough of another can limit their options.

End of the game All good games must come to an end

The game of ‘World Wonders’ ends when one of three conditions is met:

All players have exhausted their supply of wonder tokens.
The central game board is completely filled with wonder tokens.
A player has successfully built all seven wonders of the world on their personal board.

Once the game ends, players move on to the final scoring phase. However, before this happens, they must undertake a few necessary actions:

Resource Check: Each player must ensure that they have sufficient resources to maintain their built wonders. Any wonders that can’t be maintained due to lack of resources are removed from the game and will not count towards the final score.
Wonder Completion: Players check their personal boards to ensure that all wonders built are correctly completed. Incomplete wonders do not contribute to the final score.
Token Validation: Players must validate that all the tokens on the central game board correspond to the wonders they have built. Any discrepancies must be resolved before proceeding to the final scoring.

After these steps are completed, players can proceed to the final scoring. The final score is determined by the following criteria:

Wonder Points: Each player receives points equivalent to the total value of wonders they have successfully built and maintained. The value of each wonder is indicated on its corresponding token.
Resource Points: Players receive additional points for any leftover resources they have. Each resource contributes a specified number of points to the final score, as indicated in the game’s rulebook.
Bonus Points: Some wonders provide bonus points when built. These points are added to the final score.

The player with the highest final score is declared the winner of the game. In case of a tie, the player with the most leftover resources wins. If there’s still a tie, the player who completed more wonders wins.

Scoring Did you outsmart your rivals?

In ‘World Wonders’, points are awarded based on different actions taken throughout the game and the strategic placement of your pieces. The scoring system is designed to reward a mix of short-term tactics and long-term strategy.

Point Allocation:

There are several ways to earn points in ‘World Wonders’:

Building Wonders: Each wonder constructed awards a certain number of points, ranging from 2 to 7. The point value is printed on the Wonder card.
Collecting Sets: Players earn points for collecting sets of different resources. A complete set of all five resource types earns 10 points. Each individual resource card is worth 1 point if used in an incomplete set.
Area Control: The player with the most pieces in each region at the end of the game earns 5 points. If players tie for the most pieces, they each receive the full 5 points.
End-Game Bonuses: Some Wonder cards and special action cards provide bonus points at the end of the game. The number of bonus points varies by card.

Tie-Breaking Rules:

In the event of a tie at the end of the game, the following tie-breaking rules are applied in the order listed:

Most Wonders: The player who built the most Wonders wins.
Most Sets: If there is still a tie, the player who completed the most resource sets wins.
Most Controlled Areas: If there is still a tie, the player who controls the most areas wins.
Resource Cards: If there is still a tie, the player with the most resource cards in their hand wins.

If all tie-breaking rules are exhausted and there is still a tie, the game is considered a draw.

Particular Cases and Exceptions Wait… is that legal?

World Wonders is a strategic board game that involves exploring the world, discovering wonders, and achieving specific goals to win the game. Some rare or special rules and exceptions that might be important in the game include:

World Wonders Discovery: If a player lands on a World Wonder tile, they cannot discover it if another player has already done so. However, the discovering player has the option to cooperate with the other player by paying a certain amount of resources.
Trade and Negotiation: Players are allowed to negotiate and trade resources with other players at any point during their turn. However, trades must be carried out immediately and cannot be based on future promises.
Resource Limit: There is a limit to the number of resources a player can hold in their inventory. If a player exceeds this limit, they must discard the excess resources immediately.
End Game: The game ends when all World Wonders have been discovered. In case of a tie on points, the player with the most resources wins. If there’s still a tie, the player who discovered the last World Wonder wins.

Rule Clarifications:

Simultaneous Discovery: If two players land on the same World Wonder tile in the same round, the player who rolled the highest number on the dice gets the first chance to discover the wonder.
Unsuccessful Trade: If a trade negotiation between players is unsuccessful, the trading phase of the turn ends immediately and the player must proceed to the next phase of their turn.
Resource Discard: When forced to discard excess resources, the player can choose which resources to discard. However, they cannot discard resources that were gained during the same turn.
Tie-Breaker: In the event of a tie during the end game, if players have equal resources and neither discovered the last World Wonder, the player who rolled the highest number on the dice during their last turn wins.

Tips and tricks Play smarter, not harder!

Advanced Strategies:

Plan Ahead: Always try to have a clear strategy for the next few turns. This includes planning your resource allocation, managing your workers, and deciding which wonders to pursue.
Utilize Wonder Abilities: Each wonder has its own unique ability. Utilizing these abilities to their full potential can give you a significant edge over your opponents.
Balance Resource Accumulation: While it’s important to accumulate resources for building wonders, don’t ignore the importance of gaining victory points through other means such as completing objectives or building structures.

Beginner Tips:

Start by focusing on gathering a variety of resources. This will allow you to be flexible in your strategy later on.
Don’t forget to invest in your workforce. Workers are essential for building wonders and structures.
Try to build a wonder as soon as possible. Not only does it provide a significant amount of victory points, it also gives you a unique ability that can help you throughout the game.

Common Mistakes to Avoid:

Don’t focus too much on one aspect of the game. A balanced approach is usually the best.
Avoid spending all your resources on wonders. Remember, resources are also needed for other actions such as building structures and recruiting workers.
Don’t ignore the objectives. They provide a good amount of victory points and can often be completed along the way.

Ways to Optimize Gameplay:

Resource Management: Efficiently managing your resources is key to success. Always keep a close eye on your resource accumulation and expenditure.
Strategic Planning: Always plan your moves ahead of time. This includes foreseeing your opponents’ moves and adjusting your strategy accordingly.
Utilize All Options: Don’t overlook the importance of structures and workers. They can provide a lot of benefits and can help you gain a strategic advantage.