Fast becoming a family favourite, Azul is not only fun, but also beautiful (never thought I’d describe a board game as beautiful, but it is!) Once we familiarised ourselves with the scoring, we really enjoyed playing. Recommended for age 8+ but our 5 year old also enjoys - he initially started with ‘helping’ his mum or dad, but we then found after a couple of games he understood enough on a basic level to be a player on his own. Our 11 year old daughter and 13 year old son soon fully understood how to be strategic and with that, it became even more competitive! We really like the fact it’s a game that’s equally as fun as a 2 player as it is as a 4. We also love that it’s not a game that goes on for hours (unless you decide to play multiple games). I guess the only downside for us, is we’re a family of 5 and it’s a game for 2-4 players. Despite this, Azul is a game that I’m sure we will play for years to come!

The first thing that strikes you about Azul is the quality of the pieces - rather than using cardboard tiles these are durable plastic and combine to make lovely-looking patterns on your "wall". My first glance of the rules got me slightly confused but as soon as we started playing it was simple enough that my 8 year old was racing through his turn and while the scoring has a couple of technicalities that benefit from doing it publicly it is intuitive and allows for an element of strategy. I received this game for free in exchange for this honest review.

A visually beautiful game that was fun for two older adults. This will keep the brain cells going as we get to grips with the intricacies.

Azul is a fantastic game that offers a delightful experience for the whole family. From the moment we opened the box and admired its beautiful presentation to the moment we finished our last round, Azul never failed to captivate us. The aim of the game is to source the most points by strategically placing coloured tiles onto our game board. It has led to countless moments of excitement and friendly competition. We have found that Azul's simple setup allows us to dive right into the action, and the high-quality components only add to the overall enjoyment of the game. One of our favourite aspects of Azul is its perfect blend of strategy and luck. Each round presents new opportunities and challenges, keeping us engaged and eager to see who will emerge victorious. We have had many intense moments of trying to outsmart each other, and the interactive nature of the game adds an exciting layer of depth to our gameplay. Despite the occasional groans when one of us starts to pull ahead, Azul always brings us closer together as we laugh, strategise, and celebrate each other's victories. It's a game that has provided us with hours of entertainment, and we are already looking forward to our next game night with Azul at the centre of it all.

My family and I absolutely love this wonderful new game Azul. The rules are straightforward and easy to follow, despite at first it looking slightly daunting. We love that the game is split into stages, so you begin with the factory stage, then the tiling stage, and finally the scoring. The score system is simple to follow and easy to understand – even my five-year-old has loved getting involved and was able to follow along with a little help. The tiles are stunningly made and beautifully decorated – just like the Portuguese tiles in the palace that the game is based upon. We loved that the instruction book contained a brief explanation of the origin of the game and its link to the Portuguese culture. The game can be played with four people and can last anything (for us) from 10 minutes up to half an hour. The game is split up into various rounds and everyone loved thinking of their own strategy to gain bonus points in the scoring stage. The aim of the game is to get as higher points as possible, which you can get by creating rows and columns of different tiles. The game is totally unique and one we would highly recommend for the whole family or for an adults’ games night. It’s even great for younger children as they are able to match up the tiles, understand the scoring system and the games don’t generally last overly long. 10 out of 10!