Santorini

About this board game

Santorini is an accessible strategy game for 2–4 players that plays in about 20 minutes, combining abstract movement and building with variable player powers.

Each turn follows two simple steps: move one of your builder pawns to a neighboring space, then build a building level adjacent to the builder you moved. A builder may move across the same level, step up one level, or step down any number of levels.

1. Move: Move one builder to a neighboring space.
2. Build: Construct a building level next to that builder.
3. Reach the top: If either builder moves up to the third level, you win.

When building on top of the third level, place a dome instead. That space is then removed from play, adding a changing spatial challenge to the otherwise straightforward rules.

The core system is easy enough for an elementary school classroom, yet offers strategic depth and content for experienced players to explore. Santorini also includes 40 thematic god and hero powers, creating variable player powers that fundamentally change how the game is played.

With its short play time and clear turn structure, the 2016 edition of Santorini presents a modern re-imagining of the purely abstract 2004 edition. Players build, move, and plan around the evolving construction of the playing area while seeking the decisive climb to the third level.