San Juan (Second Edition) (2014) Board Game

San Juan is a strategic card game set in the capital city of Puerto Rico. Originally released in 2004, the second edition was published in 2014 by alea. Designed by Andreas Seyfarth, known for his work on the popular game Puerto Rico, San Juan offers players a streamlined version of its predecessor with updated artwork by Harald Lieske and Mia Steingräber.

Game Components of San Juan

110-card deck including production buildings (indigo, sugar, tobacco, coffee, and silver) and “violet” buildings that grant special powers or extra victory points.

Additional building cards from the alea Treasure Chest expansion, excluding event cards.

A new building card, “The Hut,” which grants a card when nothing is sold in the trader phase.

How To Setup San Juan

Each player starts with a hand of four cards and an Indigo Plant, a production building. The remaining cards are shuffled and placed within reach of all players. The game does not require any tokens, money, or goods tokens, as all components are represented by cards.

Gameplay Mechanics and Game Objective

Action Drafting: Players select roles that trigger events affecting all players, such as producing goods or constructing buildings.

Hand Management: Players must manage their card hand carefully, as cards serve multiple roles (building, currency, goods).

Multi-Use Cards: Cards can be used to build, pay for buildings, or represent goods produced by production buildings.

Set Collection: Building a collection of buildings to earn victory points.

Variable Phase Order: The order of role selection can significantly affect gameplay and strategy.

Objective: The game ends when one player has built twelve buildings. The player with the most victory points, earned through building, wins the game.

Player Experience

San Juan offers a dynamic and engaging experience with a focus on strategic planning and timing. The game scales well for 2-4 players, with a unique two-player variant where the governor gets two actions and the other player gets one, creating a more dynamic and interactive game. Players must balance building, producing, and trading to optimize their strategy, making each game feel fresh and challenging.

Pros

High Replayability: Strategies must be emergent based on card availability, preventing the game from becoming repetitive.

Engaging Mechanics: The multi-use card system and variable phase order keep the game interesting and strategic.

Scaling: Works well with 2-4 players, with a special two-player variant.

Cons

Initial Complexity: The game may feel overwhelming due to its medium-light complexity and the multiple roles of cards.

Luck Element: The random draw of cards and role selection can introduce luck, affecting player strategies.

Personal Thoughts on San Juan

San Juan is ideal for fans of engine-building and strategic card games. It offers a challenging yet engaging experience that requires careful planning and adaptability. While it may not be the best fit for casual gamers due to its complexity, it is perfect for those who enjoy intricate gameplay mechanics and strategic depth. If you’re looking for a game that combines elements of city-building and economic management with a unique card system, San Juan (Second Edition) is definitely worth exploring.

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