Alhambra Strategy Game - Spiel Des Jahres Game of the Year 2003 by Rio Grande

by Robinson Gamestore

Product Features

• Spiel des Jahres, Game of the Year - 2003; Deutscher SpielePreis, 2nd Place - 2003; Games Magazine GAMES 100, Family Strategy Honoree - 2004
• 2-6 players, ages 8 and up, 45-60 minutes
• # 60 Building and Start Tiles, # 110 Cards
• # 6 Summary Boards, # 12 Playing Pieces
• # 1 Game Board, # 1 Scoretrack, # 1 Rule Booklet

Product Details

• Item Weight: 3.5 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 4.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• ASIN: B0006HCA8M
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #149,189 in Toys & Games (See Top 100 in Toys & Games)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)

Product Description

Granada, 1278. At the foot of the Sierra Nevada mountains, one of the most exciting and interesting projects of the Spanish Middle Ages begins: the construction of Alhambra. Experience, over the course of the game, determines how the construction of this Spanish wonder takes place. The game is easy to learn: just a few rules and you're ready to play. 1. Each round, you must decide: Do you take a currency note, so that later on you can acquire a valuable piece of the Palace - a Pavilion or a Manor for example? 2. Or do you purchase one of the available Palace pieces to expand you Alhambra? Be careful as you won't receive any change. However, if you can pay the exact amount, you will get another turn immediately! 3. During the scoring rounds, you will receive Victory Points for having the majority of any type of palace piece. But that's not the only way to score points: the longer your City Wall, the more protected your Alhambra will be, earning you additional points.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great Game for Anyone, January 12, 2007

By 

N. Casper "nsc99" (Minneapolis, MN) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Alhambra Strategy Game - Spiel Des Jahres Game of the Year 2003 by Rio Grande (Toy)

Alhambra is a great game plain and simple. It is suitable for children who can perform basic math and people who are not "gamers".

The basics: Everyone is dealt money cards and the object is to by pieces of your Alhambra (castle or house, if you will). If you pay the exact amount then you get another turn. At the end of each round, whomever has the most of one color gets X points. There are certain rules that govern how you may place your tiles, for example, you must be able to get to the center of your structure without leaving it (so your walls can not isolate different rooms from the center). The tile laying is the most complex part of the game but that is not saying too much. If you can't buy a piece of your Alhambra then you can draw money instead. There is a little more to it but that is the basics.

Quality: Everything from the board to the cards is really very nice. The scoring markers are made out of wood and not plastic, the cards are nice, the board is decorative, even the box that contains the game has specific compartments where all of the pieces fit.

Conclusion: If you are looking to expand from normal games like Monopoly to something a little different then this is a great start. It is no harder to learn than Monopoly or Risk and is just as fun. It is not a very "confrontational" game meaning that you can't pick on any one person so it is a good family game that will keep everyone involved throughout. The box can look a little intimidating but don't let it, expand your horizons and check this one out. It will last for years.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Build a better Garden, September 26, 2008

By 

Dan R. Wojciechowski (Chicago, IL USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

= Durability:4.0 out of 5 stars  = Fun:5.0 out of 5 stars  = Educational:3.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: Alhambra Strategy Game - Spiel Des Jahres Game of the Year 2003 by Rio Grande (Toy)

I've recently been able to play a number of games of Alhambra with my family. Cutting to the bottom line: Alhambra is a lot of fun. I highly recommend the game for those who have begun to explore the world of non-traditional board games. Now, for the details:

Alhambra is an attractive game with well made pieces. It should stand up well to a lot of play. The general idea is to get money pieces and use them to buy buildings to add to your garden/palace of Alhambra. Each player builds there own Alhambra, and points are awarded 3 times during the game to the player with the most (and second most, and ultimately third most) of each type of building. Sounds pretty simple, and it is. Middle schoolers and up should have no trouble figuring out how to play the game.

What makes this game fun? Alhambra has a moderate degree of luck (which money and buildings are available for each player, and when the first two scoring rounds occur) mixed with opportunities for strategy. Generally, each round the player is choosing between getting money or buying a building. The complications arise because it is sometimes possible to do both (or even more), but doing so may require taking money rather then buying buildings that the player may really want. Also, it is possible to purchase a building but not be able to use it immediately. Is it worth buying a building if a turn must be wasted later to actually use it? Hmmm. And which building should be purchased? One for which the player has exact payment (allowing an extra action)? Or one the player may need more, but for which the player doesn't have the exact payment? These kinds of decisions constantly keep me wishing I could do just a bit more each round.

What's wrong with this game? Well, the money colors versus the building colors can be confusing. I made need the blue money to purchase the green building, but often I instinctively look at my green money. It would have been better if there were no overlap between money colors and building colors. Still, this is a minor quibble.

Who's going to like this game? Anyone who enjoys competitive board games without direct head-to-head conflict. I can't destroy your buildings or steal your pieces or stop you from getting money. I'd say if you like Ticket to Ride or Carcasonne, you'll probably enjoy Alhambra. If hundred piece tactical wargame simulations are your thing, Alhambra probably isn't for you. If you love deeply analytical games with no luck, Alhambra may be a little light for you. For everyone else who enjoys fun, easy to learn games that will keep them thinking and wanting to play again, I say, buy Alhambra.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Strategy Game, December 13, 2007

By 

JSim "jules" (Mass, USA) - See all my reviews

= Durability:5.0 out of 5 stars  = Fun:5.0 out of 5 stars  = Educational:5.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: Alhambra Strategy Game - Spiel Des Jahres Game of the Year 2003 by Rio Grande (Toy)

Being fans of Settlers of Catan and Ticket to Ride, we thought that we had to give another recipient of the Spiel Des Jahres Game of the Year award a try. Though there are a lot of pieces and a lot of different strategic points to bear in mind as you play, it's easy to learn and you pick up the subtleties over time. Sure, I have yet to win a single game that we've played, but I'm getting closer.