Are you ready to step into a world of wonder with the 7 Wonders game? This exciting board game is based on the 7 ancient wonders of the world. Whether it’s the Great Pyramids of Giza or the Colossus of Rhodes, get ready to lead one of these impressive ancient cities through 3 ages! Read on to discover our handy tips on how to play this award-winning game.
What is included in the 7 Wonders board game?
Before we dive into how to play, find out what to expect from your 7 Wonders board game set and check you’ve got everything you need before getting started with this wonderful game:
- 7 Wonders boards
- A total of 148 age cards (49 age I cards, 49 age II cards, 50 age III cards)
- 54 value 1 coins
- 24 value 3 coins
- 46-48 conflict tokens to track both military wins and losses
- 1 Rulebook
Which ancient 7 Wonders feature in the game?
- Great Pyramids of Giza
- Hanging Gardens of Babylon
- Colossus of Rhodes
- Statue of Zeus at Olympia
- Lighthouse of Alexandria
- Temple of Artemis at Ephesus
- Mausoleum at Halicarnassus
Setting up your game
Now you know what to expect in your 7 Wonders game box; learn how to set up your board, ready to play:
- Deal a wonder board to each player (wonder boards are double-sided, so players can choose to play either the day or the night)
- Separate decks into ages I, II, & III
- Remove any cards that require player counts greater than the number of players
- Remove the purple Guild cards, shuffle these and add back 1 per player, plus an extra two
- Deal 3 coins to each player - place the rest in the middle of the table to create a coin reserve
- All military tokens can also be placed in the middle of the table to create a reserve
- Deal 7 Age I cards to each player (repeat this with every Age; for example, on the next round, you will deal 7 Age II cards to every player)
7 Wonders board game rules
Now you know how to set up for the game; let’s run through the basic gameplay of 7 Wonders!
7 Wonders gameplay
7 Wonders is a 3-7 player game, designed for ages 10+. The game is known for its fast-paced gameplay and runs for around 30 minutes. This card-drafting board game has players build their civilisations by leveraging resources and commercial, civil, scientific, and military strengths. And players won’t take turns to play cards like in your classic card game; rather, everyone plays at the same time.
All players should look at the 7 cards they’ve been dealt and choose one to keep. Place this card facedown, placing the remaining 6 cards facedown next to it. Once all players have picked a card to keep, they all reveal their chosen cards at the same time. Now that your cards have been revealed, you can either:
- Construct the building on your card
- Build a stage of your wonder
- Sell your card to receive coins, which can then be used to purchase essential resources
To construct the building on your chosen card, pay the cost shown at the top left of the card.
Once this stage is complete, you should pass the remaining cards to your neighbour. Everyone now has a new set of cards and should repeat the above instructions until they have only two cards left in their hand. When everyone has only 2 cards left, this signals the final round of the Age, and instead of passing your 1 remaining card to your neighbour, it can be placed in the discard pile.
Resources
Throughout the game, you will have 7 resources available to you to help you build your cities, and these come from either your wonder board or from brown, yellow and grey cards. See the 7 available resources below:
- Stone
- Wood
- Clay
- Ore
- Papyrus
- Textile
- Glass
Players also have the option to purchase essential resources from neighbours for 2 coins each.
Scoring your 7 Wonders game
- Add up your wonder victory points (find the victory points earned for each stage of a wonder on your board)
- 3 coins are equal to 1 victory point
- Military tokens are added up, and you should subtract any defeat tokens from the total
- Add up the victory points earned on your blue cards played (the number of points available will be displayed on the card)
- Add up the victory points earned on your yellow cards played
- Add up the victory points earned on your purple guild cards played
- Science cards are scored in sets (1 solo card earns 1 victory point, 2 of the same earn 4 points, 3 of the same earn 9 points, 4 of the same earn 16 points)
- Add up the total of your points earned, and remember to subtract any negatives you’ve accumulated throughout the game.
There are a lot of components when it comes to scoring your 7 Wonders Game, so be sure to check the scoring chart in the rulebook that comes with your game if you’re ever in doubt.
How to win the game
The 7 Wonders Game is all about scoring points, but to do this, you need to be strategic and able to build up a good set of resources. You can do this by building resources as early as possible in the game. Aim to build trading posts and marketplaces in Age I to earn enough coins to buy essential resources from your neighbours. In Age II, try to secure either a forum or a caravansary. These are yellow cards that allow you to generate your own resources, taking away the need to rely on other players. The overall aim is to earn the most points, and 60+ is considered a really good score, and often guarantees you a win if you manage to secure this many points!
You’re all set to play 7 Wonders!
Now you know how to play 7 Wonders; grab your game and a group of friends and get ready to immerse yourself in this ancient world! Shop our collection of 7 Wonders game expansions and versions, including popular 7 Wonders Duel, 7 Wonders Architects and 7 Wonders Dice.
