Spires

About this board game

Spires is a 30-minute card game for 1–4 players about building a royal skyline while competing for the title of Royal Builder. In this 2017 game, players use hand management, a distinctive take on trick-taking, and set collection to develop their tableaus.

A royal family has called on the kingdom’s builders to add new spires, and every player is trying to catch the royals’ eye. Compete for cards in different markets, then use them to fill your tableau with spires of various types. The builder with the most points from spires, bonuses, special cards, and symbol majorities wins.

• Hand management: Choose how to use your cards as you compete for valuable additions.
• Unique trick-taking: Rival builders can influence which cards you are forced to take.
• Set collection: Aim to gather spires of each type while managing your limits.
• Tableau control: Cards with special effects help you manage your growing collection.

Each spire type has an important three-card limit. If you add more than three cards of one type, all cards of that type become a penalty at the end of the game, creating a constant tension between collecting and restraint.

You must also watch the height of your construction. Building a spire taller than the royal palace brings a penalty instead of praise, so the strongest builder is not simply the one who builds the most.

With its compact play time and blend of card-driven competition, Spires challenges players to pursue majorities and bonuses while avoiding costly excess. Careful planning, tactical card play, and timely tableau management are the keys to impressing the royal family.