7 Wonders: one you can’t miss

Rebuilding Antiquity One Card at a Time: An In-Depth Review of 7 Wonders

Since its debut in 2010, 7 Wonders has captivated board gamers worldwide with its compelling take on card drafting and civilization building. Players guide cities through eras of antiquity, expanding military, science, commerce, and wealth through selective card play. After winning countless awards and becoming an instant classic, 7 Wonders has now received an excellent iOS adaptation sure to consume mobile gamers’ time.

At its core, 7 Wonders centers around drafting cards representing city improvements. With each round you pick one card to add to your city, then pass the remaining hand to your neighbor for the next draft. As one reviewer on BoardGameGeek explains: “The card drafting mechanic is simple yet engaging and scaled brilliantly to involve 7 players at all times.”

Drafting cards synergistically to meet resource costs and maximize benefits forms the crux of strategy. Balancing science, military, trade, and resource production is key. The game gives you an interesting decision matrix on each turn. Do you bolster weaknesses or double down on your city’s strengths and synergies? Finding the right pace is critical too.

The iOS port brings this drafting to life brilliantly on mobile and tablet screens. The tactile feeling of swiping through a hand of cards, sliding your pick to the city, and playing resource tokens and markers makes for smooth gameplay. The intuitive interface eases newcomers into the game while presenting depth for experienced gamers.

Visually, the game is a stunner. The developers utilize a vibrant isometric perspective that breathes life into your bustling metropolis. The excellent tutorial helps orient you seamlessly as well.

The single player campaign presents a series of historical scenarios that provide copious replayability. solo mode is where this app shines brightest. The AI opponents pose increasing challenges, forcing you to hone science, resource, and military strategies. One minor complaint however: It does not have online multiplayer which is very unfortunate. For such a social board game, online play would be a welcome addition.

GAMEPLAY

Drafting Cards

Each round, you pick one card from a hand, then pass the remaining cards to the next player.
You’re aiming to draft cards that provide resources you need and synergize with your city.
Balancing short term gains vs long term point scoring requires foresight.
Falling behind in key areas like science or military leaves you vulnerable.

Resource Management

Cards have resource costs like ore, wood, clay, stone, or glass that must be met to play them.
Some cards generate resources each turn, allowing you to play more expensive cards over time.
Maximizing resource optimization through city layout and card plays is crucial.
You may trade resources with neighbors, adding social negotiation elements.

Scoring

Points come from cities, wonders, military strength, money, commercial tokens, sciences, and guilds.
Choosing an early wonder provides bonuses that shape your strategy.
The depth comes from effectively combining these elements for maximum prosperity.

In summary, 7 Wonders on iOS is a must-try for both devoted fans and newcomers to the card drafting genre. The engaging mechanics, tough decisions, and quick play make every session a brisk yet brain burning battle to build the greatest civilization. Just be warned, whipping up monumental cities can quickly become an obsession. So get ready to kiss your free time goodbye as you recreate antiquity one card at a time!