Campanile

About this board game

Campanile is a tile-placement and betting game for 2–5 players that plays in about 30 minutes. First released in 1996, it challenges players to build five towers higher and higher while betting on which towers will finish tallest and shortest.

Each turn combines construction with a difficult tactical choice. Players lay long tiles to raise a tower by one, two, or three stories. The height of the tile placement determines how many betting tokens can be committed: one, two, or three.

The same choice also determines which face-up draw pile you use. The three piles are visible, so you may want to draw from pile 3 to find a tile that strengthens a tower you support. However, choosing that pile means raising a tower by three stories, which may force you to play a tile from your hand that benefits another player.

• Build five towers with long tiles.
• Bet on the towers’ eventual order from tallest to shortest.
• Use one of three face-up draw piles according to the height of your placement.
• Score points for finishing as the first or second majority backer on each tower.

This creates a tight balance between improving your own position and giving opponents useful opportunities. A powerful draw may come with an awkward placement, while a convenient tile in your hand can influence the tower rankings in unexpected ways.

With its blend of visible information, construction, betting, and frustratingly appealing choices, Campanile keeps every move connected to the developing tower heights and the competition for majority points.