7 Wonders is a fast paced card game that lasts three ages.
In each age, players receive seven cards from a particular deck, choose one of those cards, then pass the remainder to an adjacent player, as in Fairy Tale or a Magic: the Gathering booster draft. Players reveal their cards simultaneously, paying resources if needed or collecting resources or interacting with other players in various ways.
(Players have individual boards with special powers on which to organize their cards, and the boards are double-sided as in Bauza's Ghost Stories.) Each player then chooses another card from the deck they were passed, and the process repeats until players have six cards in play from that age. After three ages, the game ends.
In essence, 7 Wonders is a card development game. Some cards have immediate effects, while others provide bonuses or upgrades later in the game. Some cards provide discounts on future purchases. Some provide military strength to overpower your neighbors and others give nothing but victory points. Each card is played immediately after being drafted, so you'll know which cards your neighbor is receiving and how his choices might affect what you've already built up. Cards are passed left-right-left over the three ages, so you need to keep an eye on the neighbors in both directions.
Though the box of earlier editions is listed as being for 3–7 players, there is an official 2-player variant included in the instructions.
Part of the 7 WONDERS Game Series.
AWARDS & HONORS
- 2013 Hungarian Board Game Award Nominee
- 2012 Ludoteca Ideale Winner
- 2011/2012 Boardgames Australia Awards Best International Game Nominee
- 2011 Vuoden Peli Adult Game of the Year Winner
- 2011 Vuoden Peli Adult Game of the Year Nominee
- 2011 Spiel des Jahres Kennerspiel Game of the Year Nominee
- 2011 Spiel des Jahres Kennerspiel des Jahres Winner
- 2011 Nederlandse Spellenprijs Nominee
- 2011 Lys Passioné Winner
- 2011 Lys Passioné Finalist
- 2011 Lucca Games Best Boardgame Winner
- 2011 Lucca Games Best Boardgame Nominee
- 2011 Juego del Año Tico Winner
- 2011 Juego del Año Tico Nominee
- 2011 Juego del Año Finalist
- 2011 JoTa Best Light Board Game Nominee
- 2011 JoTa Best Light Board Game Critic Award
- 2011 JoTa Best Light Board Game Audience Award
- 2011 JoTa Best Card Game Nominee
- 2011 JoTa Best Card Game Critic Award
- 2011 JoTa Best Card Game Audience Award
- 2011 JoTa Best Artwork Nominee
- 2011 JoTa Best Artwork Critic Award
- 2011 Japan Boardgame Prize Voters' Selection Winner
- 2011 Japan Boardgame Prize Voters' Selection Nominee
- 2011 International Gamers Award - General Strategy; Multi-player Nominee
- 2011 International Gamers Award - General Strategy: Multi-player Winner
- 2011 Hra roku Winner
- 2011 Hra roku Nominee
- 2011 Guldbrikken Best Adult Game Winner
- 2011 Guldbrikken Best Adult Game Nominee
- 2011 Gra Roku Game of the Year Nominee
- 2011 Gouden Ludo Winner
- 2011 Gouden Ludo Nominee
- 2011 Golden Geek Most Innovative Board Game Nominee
- 2011 Golden Geek Best Strategy Board Game Nominee
- 2011 Golden Geek Best Party Board Game Nominee
- 2011 Golden Geek Best Family Board Game Winner
- 2011 Golden Geek Best Family Board Game Nominee
- 2011 Golden Geek Best Card Game Winner
- 2011 Golden Geek Best Card Game Nominee
- 2011 Golden Geek Best Board Game Artwork/Presentation Nominee
- 2011 Fairplay À la carte Winner
- 2011 Deutscher Spiele Preis Best Family/Adult Game Winner
- 2011 As d'Or - Jeu de l'Année Prix du Jury Winner
- 2011 As d'Or - Jeu de l'Année Nominee
- 2010 Tric Trac Nominee
- 2010 Tric Trac d'Or
- 2010 Swiss Gamers Award Winner
- 2010 Meeples' Choice Award