Today, we’re reviewing Azul, a board game that combines strategic depth with stunning visuals. Designed by Michael Kiesling and published by Plan B Games, Azul has quickly become a favorite among gamers. Join us as we delve into its beautiful components, engaging mechanics, and expert tips to master this elegant tile-laying game.
Introduction
Azul is a beautifully crafted tile-placement game that combines strategy, aesthetics, and a bit of luck, making it appealing to casual players and experienced gamers. The game draws inspiration from the art of decorating Portuguese palaces with vibrant tiles, known as azulejos.
Theme of Azul
Azul engages players in the rich cultural heritage of Portuguese azulejos, the iconic ceramic tiles that have adorned palaces, churches, and homes since the 13th century. Set during the reign of King Manuel I of Portugal, who was inspired by the stunning Moorish tiles of the Alhambra palace, players assume the roles of tile-laying artists tasked with decorating the Royal Palace of Evora.
The game’s components, including its colorful resin tiles and detailed player boards, evoke the beauty and craftsmanship of traditional azulejos. This theme not only adds aesthetic appeal but also integrates seamlessly into the gameplay, making each tile placement feel like a step in creating a historical masterpiece while competing for the king’s favor. Perfect for family game night, Azul offers an engaging and visually delightful experience for all ages.
Azul Board Game Components
Azul features high-quality components that contribute to its overall aesthetic appeal. Here’s a breakdown of what you’ll find in the box:
Player Boards: Each player receives a personal board representing their wall where they will place the tiles they collect during the game. The board is divided into different sections:
- Scoring Track: This is located at the top of the board. It consists of five rows numbered from 0 to 100, with increments of 5 points (5, 10, 15, etc.) highlighted in orange squares.
- Wall: The wall is on the right side of the board. It’s a 5×5 grid filled with different colored and patterned tiles. These tiles represent the player’s progress in creating their mosaic.
- Pattern Lines: On the left side of the board, there are five rows of empty squares. These increase in length from top to bottom (1 square in the top row, 5 squares in the bottom row).
- Floor Line: This is at the bottom of the board. It is critical part of the player board that can significantly impact your score, in a negative way and consists of seven spaces with negative point values (-1, -1, -2, -2, -2, -3, -3). These are used for tiles that couldn’t be placed elsewhere.
- Additional Scoring: On the bottom right, there’s a small section showing additional scoring opportunities for rows, columns and complete color set (+2, +7, +10).
Tiles: The tiles in Azul are crafted from high-quality resin, featuring five vibrant colors: blue, yellow, red, white, and black. Each color has a unique design inspired by traditional Portuguese azulejos, enhancing both the visual appeal and gameplay clarity. These tiles are stored in a durable linen bag, which is used for random draws at the start of each round. This setup ensures that each game is unique and requires players to adapt their strategies based on the tiles drawn, adding an element of surprise and replayability to the game.
Factory Displays: There are 9 factory displays in Azul, which are circular boards used to hold tiles at the beginning of each round. These displays help organize the tiles and make it easy for players to see their options during the drafting phase. Depending on the number of players, a specific number of factory displays are placed in the center of the table:
- 5 factory displays for 2 players
- 7 factory displays for 3 players
- 9 factory displays for 4 players
At the start of each round, four tiles are drawn randomly from the bag and placed on each factory display. This setup creates a clear and accessible layout, allowing players to quickly assess their choices and plan their moves strategically. The factory displays not only keep the game organized but also add to its visual appeal, making it easy and enjoyable for everyone to play.
First Player Marker: The first player marker is a distinct component that indicates which player will start each round. This marker is shaped like a lovely white tile, adorned with blue decorative elements that align with the game’s overall aesthetic. It stands out among the other tiles due to its unique color and design.
Game Phases and Setup
Beginning
When the player boards have been set up, the first player marker goes to the person who last visited Portugal. If no one in the group has visited Portugal, it doesn’t matter who gets the player marker first. The person with this tile is responsible for setting up the factory displays by placing a specific number of them in the center of the table based on the number of players (5 for 2 players, 7 for 3 players, and 9 for 4 players). They then draw four tiles randomly from the bag and place them on each factory display, leaving the rest of the tiles in the bag. With that, the game setup is complete, and play can begin.
Objective of Azul
The objective of Azul is to achieve the highest score by the end of the game. The game concludes when any player completes at least one horizontal row on their wall grid. Throughout the game, players aim to strategically place tiles to maximize their points while minimizing penalties. Although Azul has the patterns of a euro game with the multiple ways of scoring, it is actually a quick abstract game with simple rules to follow. It is played over multiple rounds, each consisting of two phases:
Factory Offering
The majority of the action in Azul happens during the Factory Offering phase. This phase starts with the player holding the first player marker. The first player tile is placed in the center of the table, and then the player with the marker takes the first turn.
During a player’s turn, they pick tiles from either a factory display or the center of the table. Here’s how it works:
- From a Factory Display: A player can take all tiles of a single color from one factory display and move any remaining tiles on that display to the center.
- From the Center of the Table: A player can pick all tiles of a single color from the center. If a player is the first to take tiles from the center, they also take the first player marker and place it on their floor line, which incurs a penalty.
Once selected, tiles are added to one of the pattern lines on the player’s board. Players aim to gather tiles that best fit their pattern lines and future wall placements. This strategic selection process continues until all tiles have been taken from both the factory displays and the center, setting up players for scoring in the Wall-Tiling phase.
Tile Placement: In Azul, each pattern line on your player board can only hold tiles of one color. Here’s how it works:
You can only place a single color tiles on each pattern line. Moreover, A pattern line is considered complete when it is fully filled with tiles of the same color.
If you pick up more tiles than you can place on your chosen pattern line, you must place the excess tiles in the floor line, which will cost you points at the end of the round.
A crucial rule to remember is that you are not allowed to place tiles of a certain color in a pattern line if the corresponding row on your wall already holds a tile of that color. In such cases, you should place them in other lines to avoid penalties.
The Factory Offering phase continues until all factory displays on the table are empty. Once the last tile is moved or placed, players proceed to the next phase.
Wall Tilling
The Wall-Tiling phase can be carried out by all players simultaneously as they move tiles from their completed pattern lines over to their walls. Here’s how it works:
Move Tiles: Go through your pattern lines from top to bottom and move the rightmost tile from each completed line to the space of the same color in the corresponding row of your wall.
Scoring Points: Each time you move a tile, you score points immediately based on its placement. Tiles placed adjacent to others can score additional points for creating horizontal or vertical connections.
Uncompleted Lines: Any remaining tiles in incomplete pattern lines stay on the pattern lines on your player board until the next round.
Scoring in Azul happens at the Wall-Tiling phase, where players tally up points based on the tiles they’ve placed on their wall. This process is essential for tracking progress and strategizing for future rounds.
Here’s a detailed breakdown of how mid-game scoring works:
Individual Tile Placement
Each time you move a tile from a completed pattern line to your wall, you score points immediately. Placing a tile in an empty spot on your wall grid scores 1 point. If the newly placed tile is adjacent to other tiles horizontally or vertically, you score additional points. For example:
- Placing a tile next to one existing tile scores 2 points (1 for the new tile and 1 for the adjacent tile).
- Placing a tile that connects two groups of tiles scores even more. For instance, if you place a tile between one vertical and one horizontal group connecting three tiles each, you score 6 points (3 for each group).
Floor Line Penalty:
After scoring your placed tiles, check your floor line for any penalties. Tiles in the floor line subtract points based on their position:
- First and second spaces: -1 point each
- Third, fourth, and fifth spaces: -2 points each
- Sixth and seventh spaces: -3 points each
Example Scenario:
Suppose during this round you placed three tiles on your wall:
- A blue tile in an empty space scores 1 point.
- A red tile adjacent to two other tiles scores 3 points (1 for the new tile and 2 for the adjacent ones).
- If you have two tiles in the first two positions of your floor line, you incur a penalty of -2 points.
End Game
The game of Azul concludes when any player completes at least one horizontal row on their wall grid. This triggers the end of the game, and players then proceed to final scoring.
Final Tile Placement: Ensure all tiles from completed pattern lines have been moved to the wall grid and scored as usual.
Bonus Points:
- Completed Rows: Each completed horizontal row scores an additional 2 points.
- Completed Columns: Each completed vertical column scores an additional 7 points.
- Full Sets of Colors: If a player has managed to place all five tiles of a single color on their wall, they score an additional 10 points for each full set.
Floor Line Penalties: Subtract points for any remaining tiles in the floor line based on their position (-1, -1, -2, -2, -2, -3, -3).
Tallying Scores: After accounting for bonus points and penalties, each player tallies their total score. The player with the highest score wins the game.
Our Experience Playing Azul
Playing Azul was an absolute delight! Our group consisted of four players who were new to board games but eager to dive into this colorful world. We set up the game quickly thanks to its straightforward rules outlined in the rule book.
The first turn included a factory display filled with blue and yellow tiles. After carefully considering the options, the output was to maximize the points while minimizing potential penalties for unplaced tiles. As we progressed through the rounds, the dilemma remained between taking more immediate points and planning for future rounds — a classic struggle in Azul!
One memorable moment was completing the first column. It felt incredibly satisfying to see the strategy come together visually! This was also an important lesson about managing the floor line and not leaving too many unplaced tiles, which may cost you precious points in the end.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Azul is a beautifully designed gateway game that combines strategy with aesthetics in a way that is accessible yet deep enough to keep players coming back for more. Its components are top-notch, enhancing both gameplay and visual appeal. Whether you’re playing with friends or family, Azul provides an engaging experience filled with friendly competition and strategic depth.
We highly recommend Azul for anyone looking to add a vibrant and enjoyable game to their collection — it’s perfect for casual gatherings and more severe gaming sessions! With its simple rules yet complex strategies, Azul shines as one of the best modern abstract board games.
