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Box art via BoardGameGeek
Azul
Lovely tiles, simple rules, and a surprising amount of quiet cruelty.
Designed by Michael Kiesling · 2017
The chunky tiles feel like candy, and the game under them is a clean little knife fight.
Best for: Two people who like a tidy, mean duel
What it is
Azul is a good one to hand to people who say they don't really do board games, because by the second round they've usually forgotten they said it. You draft sets of tiles from shared piles and lay them on your board for points. The catch is that every tile you take leaves the rest for everyone else, so half of what you're doing is deciding what you're willing to hand your opponents.
The catch
It's at its best with two. That's when it turns slow and a little vicious, a game of denial where you'll grab tiles you don't even want just to keep them away from the person across the table. It's the kind of two-player game that's easy to come back to night after night.
Who it's for
If you need a story to stay interested, this one won't give you one. It's shapes and timing, full stop. But as a quick, good-looking brain-tickler that fits by the front door, Azul earns its spot and keeps it.
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