Family game
Splendor
A quick gem-trading race where every card makes the next easier.
- Set-up
- About 5 min
- Reading
- None
The quick verdict
Full verdict ↓Great for Couples and pairs – it works well with just two
Think twice if Your group wants lots of chatter and negotiation – Splendor is quiet, and you mostly focus on your own plans
How we rate it
Learning curve. One action a turn and nothing to read, so it's about as easy to learn as Ticket to Ride. Planning your card engine gives it more to think about than a level-1 game like UNO, but it's lighter than Catan.
Luck & skill. The order in which cards appear is random, but players who plan their purchases and watch what rivals need win most games.
Interaction. There's no attacking or trading. You compete for the same gems, cards and nobles, and you can reserve a card just to stop a rival buying it.
Set-up. The first time, allow about 10 minutes to sort the 90 cards into their three levels and stack the gems by colour. After that it takes about 5 minutes: shuffle each level, lay out four cards per row, and put out one noble more than the number of players. With 2 players use 4 gems of each colour, with 3 players 5, and with 4 players all 7; the 5 gold always go out.
Reading. Cards and noble tiles show only gem symbols and numbers. Only the rulebook has text.
Learning curve: 1 = UNO or Connect 4; 3 = Catan; 5 = a heavy strategy game. These describe the experience, not an overall score.
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Is Splendor right for you?
Great if
- Couples and pairs – it works well with just two
- A short game after dinner on a weeknight
- Tables where people speak different languages, since the cards have no text
- Introducing teenagers to strategy games
Skip it if
- Your group wants lots of chatter and negotiation – Splendor is quiet, and you mostly focus on your own plans
- You want a strong story or theme; the Renaissance-merchant setting is thin
- You only ever play as two and already own Splendor Duel
A place on the honours list
Good company to be in.
Recognition from beyond our table.
Spiel des Jahres
Shortlisted by the German Game of the Year jury. A nomination, rather than the overall prize.
Meet the jury’s choice ↗More recognition 1
Dice Tower Gaming Awards – Best Family Game, 2014 (Winner)
How Splendor plays
In the middle of the table are gem tokens in five colours plus gold jokers, three rows of face-up cards from cheap to expensive, and a few noble tiles.
- Time to teach: about 10 minutes.
- Reading and language: The cards and tiles use only symbols and numbers, so nobody needs to read during play. Only the rulebook has text, and a Funskool-imported copy was listed with Hindi and English instructions.
Rules EN - Splendor · Space Cowboys · Official
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A turn, step by step
- 1Collect
Take three gems of different colours, or two of the same colour if at least four of that colour are left. You can't end your turn with more than 10 tokens.
- 2Reserve
Or take one card into your hand to buy later, plus a gold joker. You can hold up to three reserved cards.
- 3Buy
Or pay gems for a face-up or reserved card. Every card you own counts as a free gem of its colour on later buys, and a noble visits you once your cards match what it asks for.
- 4Win
When someone reaches 15 prestige points, finish the round so everyone has had the same number of turns. The highest score wins; on a tie, whoever bought fewer cards wins.
The full explanation: how a game of Splendor goes
On your turn you do just one thing: take three gems of different colours; take two gems of the same colour (only if at least four of that colour are left); reserve a card and take a gold joker; or buy a card by paying gems. You can't hold more than 10 tokens at the end of your turn, or more than three reserved cards.
Every card you buy gives you a permanent gem of its colour, which counts as a discount on all your future purchases. Your cheap early cards slowly add up to a small engine, until you can buy expensive cards for very little.
Many cards carry prestige points. When the cards in front of you match what a noble asks for, that noble visits you at the end of your turn and brings extra points.
When someone reaches 15 prestige points, you finish the round so everyone has had the same number of turns. Then the highest score wins.
What's in the box
- 90Development cards
40 level 1, 30 level 2 and 20 level 3 - 10Noble tiles
only one more than the number of players is used each game - 35Gem tokens
7 each of diamond (white), sapphire (blue), emerald (green), ruby (red) and onyx (black) - 5Gold joker tokens
yellow; each can stand in for any gem - 1First Player marker
listed in the 2024 edition's contents - 1Rulebook
Box: 27.6 × 21.6 × 6.8 cm, 1.07 kg. Handy to know for gifting and travel.
From the contents panel of Space Cowboys' 2024 English rulebook, which matches the publisher's Splendor page. The page's '40 pieces' means the 35 gems plus 5 gold, with the first-player marker listed separately. This is the refreshed 10th-anniversary box now sold in India (some Indian listings call it 'Splendor 2024 Edition'). Zatu's report on the refresh says the rules didn't change and the weighted poker-chip tokens stayed. Older 2014-design boxes, such as earlier Funskool imports with a Hindi and English instruction sheet, have the same cards, nobles and gems.
Where to buy
Paid link · We may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you.
How to make sure you get a genuine copyEditions and the details worth checking.
What reviewers and players say
Reviewers keep praising how quickly Splendor clicks. You do one simple thing each turn, and each card you buy makes later cards cheaper, so it feels good to watch your little gem business grow. A game takes about half an hour, and the heavy chips are a pleasure to handle. The main catch is the theme: it's thin, and some players find the game dry or samey after many plays. With three or four players you can plan less, because someone may grab the card you were saving up for.
What people love
- One action per turn, so it's quick to teach and friendly for newcomers and older children
- The satisfying 'engine': cheap early cards make expensive cards almost free later on
- Short games of around 30 minutes, so a rematch is easy
- Quality pieces: weighty poker-chip-style gems and clear cards with no text
Common complaints
- The Renaissance gem-merchant theme is thin, and to some it feels like a maths puzzle
- Plans can fall apart when a rival takes the card you were saving for, which happens more with three or four players
- Some players find it dry or repetitive after many games, and some couples prefer Splendor Duel for two
Based on 7 reviews and discussions
- Review Boardgame review: Splendor (Keith Law, July 2014) · The A.V. Club
- Review Is Splendor a splendid family game? (Trent, April 2015) · The Board Game Family
- Players Splendor or something else? Is it a modern classic? (forum thread, August 2023) · BoardGameGeek forums
- Players Keep or Cull Review: Splendor (forum thread, January 2024) · BoardGameGeek forums
- Reference News: Splendor 2nd Edition (David Ireland, June 2024) · Zatu Games blog
- Award Splendor – nominated for Spiel des Jahres 2014 · Spiel des Jahres
- Reference Splendor (game) · Wikipedia
Summarised in our own words from the sources above. We don't use Amazon reviews or ratings.
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Splendor
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Splendor Duel
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Azul
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Jaipur
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| Why consider it | This game A quick gem-trading race where every card makes the next easier. | A different fit The two-player version by the same designer, with a shared gem board, card powers and three ways to win | A different fit Another calm 30–45 minute strategy game with no text and good-looking pieces | A different fit A quick trading card game built for two players |
| Players | 2–4 | 2 | 2–4 | 2 |
| Best with | 2-3 | 2 | 2-4 | 2 |
| Play time | 30 min | 30–45 min | 30–45 min | 30 min |
| Age | 10+ | 10+ | 8+ | 10+ |
| Rules | Easy | Medium | Easy | Easy |
| Indian edition | Imported | Imported | Available | Available |
| On this page | Explore Splendor Duel | Explore Azul | Explore Jaipur |
More by Marc André
Another way into their collection.
More from Space Cowboys
Another way into their collection.
More engine-building games
Different games. A familiar kind of fun.
Wingspan
Calm card game about birds where every new bird boosts your turns.
7 Wonders
Build an ancient city by picking one card and passing the rest.
Splendor Duel
Splendor rebuilt for two: gem lines, card powers, three ways to win
7 Wonders Duel
The 7 Wonders civilisation race, rebuilt as a tense 30-minute duel
Century: Spice Road
Trade turmeric, saffron, cardamom and cinnamon in a quick card game
Questions people ask about Splendor
Is Splendor available in India?
Yes, as an imported game: no Splendor is made in India. Our Check price on Amazon.in button goes to the listing we've checked; make sure the brand is Space Cowboys or Asmodee.
Can 2 people play Splendor?
Yes. For two players you remove three tokens of each gem colour, leaving four (the gold stays), and put out only three nobles, which keeps things tight. If you only ever play as a pair, Splendor Duel is a separate two-player version.
Is Splendor good for kids?
The box says 10+. The rules are short (one action per turn and no text on the cards), which suits children around that age. For younger players, Space Cowboys released a simplified Splendor Kids in 2025.
Should I buy Splendor or Splendor Duel?
Buy Splendor if you'll sometimes play with 3 or 4 people. Splendor Duel is made only for two and adds card powers and three different ways to win.
Game facts
- Designed by
- Marc André
- Publisher
- Space Cowboys (Asmodee)
- First published
- 2014
- Players
- 2–4
- Language
- No reading – The cards and tiles use only symbols and numbers, so nobody needs to read during play. Only the rulebook has text, and a Funskool-imported copy was listed with Hindi and English instructions.
- Box size and weight
- 27.6 × 21.6 × 6.8 cm, 1.07 kg
- Awards
- Spiel des Jahres (Germany's Game of the Year), 2014 (Nominee); Dice Tower Gaming Awards – Best Family Game, 2014 (Winner)
Sources & photo creditsThe references behind this guide.
Facts on this page come from the publisher, the Indian maker or distributor, and the sources below. Photos are credited under each one.
- Splendor (game) – Wikipedia
- Splendor – Space Cowboys
- Splendor Kids and Splendor Silk Road expansion – Opinionated Gamers (Dec 2025)
- Splendor rulebook – RulesPal
- Splendor: game with 2 players – Dized Rules
- Splendor – Bored Game Company
- Space Cowboys games – Bored Game Company
- Splendor – Gameistry
- Space Cowboys products – Board Games India