Azul Mini: Finally a travel game with a claim

It's windy. Actually bad conditions for a board game on a mild autumn afternoon in the open air. Luckily, I bought the travel version of Azul - the "Game of the Year 2018" - for my holiday on Lake Maggiore. Instead of the large box, the board game comes in a small box. The game material fits in the cloth bag provided. The only thing that can flutter away is the game instructions.

The feel and rules of the game for two to four players aged eight and over remain the same as the original. Just mobile. Find out more below.

Board games

Next Move Azul Mini

German

4.89

Board games

Next Move Azul Mini

German

4.89

How to turn the board game into a mobile game

The cardboard trays for each player are stretched under a transparent plastic. There are recesses for the tiles. Nothing slips, even if you play on an uneven surface. Also practical for clumsy players who like to bump into the board and move all the pieces. Everything stays firmly in place here.

The victory points are also a clever solution: They are not displayed on a scale with two counters as in the original game This is solved by two sliders for the ones and the tens in the travelling version of Azul. These even click into place easily so that you can't adjust anything by mistake. The manufactory tiles in the centre can also be placed in a plastic insert if required.

A nice side effect of the non-slip design: you can change locations during a game without all the tiles and scores moving.

A lot could be gained with just a few improvements

However, Azul Mini is not quite perfect: In our test version, the plastic covers were slightly bent. That's not very stylish. And the score counter didn't click into place equally well everywhere. The fact that I suddenly have twice as many points is of course pure coincidence...

It's also a shame that the publisher didn't include a zip fastener in the fabric bag supplied. Although all the tiles, the trays and the rest of the game material fit into the bag, you can only close it with a press stud.

If you pack it like this in a suitcase or rucksack for your holiday, there is a high risk that all the tiles will be scattered in your luggage. So you will still pack the cardboard box, which is not too big after all. Or you can seal the small items in a zip bag and then put the game plans in the cloth bag.

Why Azul Mini as a travel game at all?

The fascination of Azul is the mix of simple rules and a certain complexity. I have to think all the time: if I take the two black tiles, for example, I score three points in the scoring phase. However, the next player can then dust off three yellow tiles - and turn his patchwork quilt into a beautifully tiled wall. This gives him even more points.

Azul seems quite simple at first. Round after round is very similar. You take tiles and try to complete your wall with as many adjacent tiles as possible.

However, you are faced with many decisions with every move. Should I consciously forgo quick points and speculate on the big score? Do I strictly follow a strategy - or do I constantly adapt it? Do I concentrate on my discard or do I deliberately take tiles away from my opponent even though I can't use them myself?

You can read more about the board game in the review by colleague Ramon Schneider. It may be from 2018 - but it's still as relevant as it was back then.

Conclusion: A sophisticated travel game and an affordable entry-level Azul game

The board game deservedly won the "Game of the Year 2018" award. The game principle still looks as fresh and unusual today as it did back then. Of course, if you've already bought the original, you'll only buy the mini if you simply want to play Azul anywhere and anytime.

If you haven't played the game before, the mini version is highly recommended. It is significantly cheaper than the original and takes up less space on the shelf. What's more, Azul Mini is an ideal travel game for demanding players: a game with depth that you can also play on a nice holiday evening. There'll be a rematch the next evening, I bet?

Of course, you have to do without the opulence of the original. But that doesn't diminish the enjoyment of the game in this case. Incidentally, the mini concept was so popular that the first edition sold out quickly. It is now available again - just in time for the next holidays.