7 Wonders Duel
$29.99
7 Wonders Duel at a Glance
| Game Type Card Game City Building Civilization | Play Time 30 mins (approx) | Skill/Complexity (3.5 - 5) Above average in complexity. Not for beginners in strategy based games. |
| Age 10+ | Publisher(s) Respos Productions | Published 2015 |
| Categories 2 Player / Strategy | Players 2 Players | Rules Manual US Official Rules PDF |
| Our Rating 9.5/10 | Cost $29.99 approx |
About – Description
Launched in 2015, 7 Wonders Duel involves players leading a civilization and collecting cards to construct wonders and buildings over the course of three ages.
It is designed to be played by 2 people and only takes around 30 minutes to complete.
7 Wonders Duel is played by 2 people only. The game involves players acquiring cards that either boost their military, aid scientific development or add resources. These then allow you to develop your civilization and complete wonders.
Skill – Complexity
This board game is of average complexity as you need to be able to strategize and plan your next move effectively. This means it’s ideal for adults and children over 10.
Set Up – Playing Rules & Instructions
Setting Up
Inside the box you’ll find: 1 Game Board, 23 Age I cards, 23 Age II cards, 20 Age III cards, 7 Guild cards, 12 Wonder cards, 4 Military tokens, 10 Progress tokens, 1 Conflict pawn, 31 coins (14 value 1, 10 value 3 and 7 value 6), 1 Scorebook, 1 Rule book, 1 Helpsheet.
To begin with, each player has four wonder cards and a wonder that has a specific type of ability. However, only seven wonders can be constructed, meaning one player will end up short of one.
At the start of the game, place the board between you both on one side of the play area then put the conflict pawn on the neutral space in the center of the board.
Place the four Military tokens on their spaces facing upwards, and shuffle the Progress tokens. Place five of these tokens randomly, again facing upwards, onto the board. Put the rest back in the box.
Each player now takes seven coins from the bank and the game can begin.
Object of the game
In 7 Wonders Duel, there are three ways in which a player can win: civilian victory, scientific supremacy or military supremacy.
Scientific and military victories can take place at any time, and if this happens the game ends immediately. At the end of the third age, if neither player has managed to win the game, the players add up their victory points with the winner being the one with the highest score.
Playing Instructions
As mentioned, the aim of the game is to construct buildings and wonders.
Once the game has been set up, players must take it in turns to pick up cards from a display of face-up and face-down cards as arranged. A player can only take a card if it has not been covered by any others, which means timing is a big factor in this game (adding an exciting element of luck!). Certain cards also offer bonus moves which mean you can take a second card straight away.
Each age card represents a Building which will help the player to make scientific discoveries, strengthen their army and develop their city. Players can choose to buy resources from the bank at any point in the game, or in the course of the game they can also acquire extra cards that provide them with resources for future building. As you acquire more and more resources, the cost of them increases for your opponent which will give you the upper hand over the other player.
Versions – Editions
The latest expansion to this game – “Duel Leaders” – was released in 2019. Previous to that, there was “7 Wonders Duel: Pantheon” (launched in 2016) and “7 Wonders Duel: Statue of Liberty” (also 2016).
Likes & Dislikes
Although this game is engaging and fun to play, it does appear to rely heavily on sheer luck rather than always on skill. This can be a good or a bad thing, depending on your preference!
It’s great for when you fancy a board game with just one opponent that’s quick to finish but gives your brain a decent workout.
Final Thoughts
Enjoyable, fast-paced and totally immersive, 7 Wonders Duel is a highly strategic board game with very little down time.
You’ll be constantly monitoring your opponent’s military and scientific progress whilst making sure they aren’t able to grab resources needed to build their wonders. The trick is to manage all this without losing track of your own strategy!
