Is the Souvenirs from Venice Board Game Worth Adding to Your Collection?

In this week's article, we're diving into the delightful chaos of Oink Games' latest brainchild, Souvenirs from Venice. Picture this: you, a tourist in the enchanting canals of Venice, racing against the clock to snag the best souvenirs before your flight takes off. Will this game be a cherished keepsake or a disastrous detour into a holiday from hell? Buckle up, because this is one trip you won’t want to miss!

I first came across the game Souvenirs from Venice when I was looking through social media and it came up on my feed. The game’s layout was so intriguing it practically begged me to take a closer look. After some sleuthing, I discovered it was crafted by the same masterminds behind Deep Sea Adventure, Jun Sasaki and Goro Sasaki. Since I already have a soft spot for their underwater escapades, I figured, why not dive into this Venetian adventure? Who can resist a little nostalgia wrapped in a gondola, after all?

First Impressions

Souvenirs from Venice boasts a front box design that’s as charmingly simplistic as a gondolier’s serenade, typical of the Oink Games aesthetic. The color palette is a delightful splash of inspiration, making both the design and the text pop. However, flip the box over, and it’s as if someone threw a masquerade ball for information, there’s so much going on! The reverse is packed full of text, images, and iconography, which might leave you feeling like you’ve wandered into a crowded piazza rather than reading the back of a quaint travel game. While it does provide a snapshot of the game’s essence, including player count, playtime, and age suitability, I found myself wishing for a bit more detail on the gameplay itself. After all, who doesn’t want to know what they’re getting into before embarking on a game of strategy? Inside the box, however, the components are a feast for the senses. The tiles are crafted from high-quality cardstock. And the player pieces are adorable little gondolas that could make even the most serious strategist crack a smile. The bright orange of the tiles is a standout feature, ensuring that they won’t just float by unnoticed during gameplay.

Game Play Overview

In Souvenirs from Venice, your mission is to snatch up sets of three matching souvenirs before your flight home swoops in . If fortune smiles upon you, you might even manage to snag two sets of three, turning your Venetian escapade into a shopping spree worthy of a gondola ride!

To kick off this delightful quest, gather the tiles according to your player count and arrange them into a charming grid: a cozy five by five for two players or a spacious seven by seven for three or more. Once your grid is set, each player picks a gondola color. Finally, grab six money chips to use as you navigate the winding canals of souvenir shopping.

Each player's turn is split into three phases: Research, Move, and Buying and Selling. Let’s break it down:

Phase 1: Research

In this phase you will select a face-down tile and flip it over for all players to gawk at. It’s like revealing the secrets of the universe, but with more tiles and fewer aliens.

Phase 2: Move

Next, we glide into the Move phase, where you’ll roll the die and cruise your gondola the number of spaces shown. Remember, a space isn’t just any space, it's an intersection of city tiles, ideally surrounded by four city tile spaces!

Phase 3: Buying and Selling

Finally, we arrive at the Buying and Selling phase, where you will make the most of the

marketplace. Here, you have a few options:

• Buy a tile in secret, because who doesn’t love a little mystery?

• Purchase a visible tile that’s diagonally adjacent to your gondola.

• Sell a tile you’ve already snagged by taking a coin from a diagonally adjacent space, all while placing a tile from your hand face down.

• Or, if you’re feeling particularly lazy, you can simply do nothing! (Though that might not win you the game.)

  
  

But wait! There’s a twist in this gondola tale! If you happen to flip over The Pigeon Feed Seller or the Pigeon during either the Research or Buying and Selling phases, brace yourself for a penalty. All players must then choose and pass a tile to their left.

The game wraps up when one of two thrilling end game triggers is set off: either all players have scurried back to the airport like they just heard the final boarding call, or all tiles have been laid out face up. If any players fail to make it back to the airport, they’ve effectively missed their flight and will have to face the harsh reality of scoring zero points.

Though, if multiple players do manage to dash back to the airport, it’s time to roll up those sleeves and tally the scores! Each player will score points based on the tiles they’ve collected. For any matching set of three tiles, they’ll earn the points displayed in the top right corner. However, if they’re lacking a matching set, they’ll score the points in the top right corner, but with a twist: they’ll have to subtract the number of tiles they’re missing from that set to the score. In the end, the player with the most points gets to bask in the glory of victory, while the others can only dream of their next flight.

Pros and Cons

After playing this game several times, I've discovered a treasure trove of delights. First off, the setup is quick, the pace is brisk enough to keep your attention, and teaching it is easier than many other games. However, I must admit, the game doesn’t exactly leave me clamoring for a rematch right after. It’s a tad too light for my taste! But fear not, this little gem has made its way to various gatherings, proving its worth as a portable companion that plays well with both newbies and seasoned strategists alike. Another huge plus is this game is just the right size for a coffee table! You can easily whip it out at restaurants or cafes, turning a mundane meal into an epic showdown with family and friends.

Final Verdict

Overall, I found myself quite enamored with the game, thanks to its laid-back vibe. It’s like a vacation for your brain, with just enough elements of Deep Sea Adventure sprinkled in to keep things interesting. The flipping tiles act as a countdown timer, adding a delightful dash of pressure that elevates the fun from “meh” to “whoa!”. I can already envision this game becoming the star of holiday gatherings, small, compact, and ready to travel, it’s the perfect companion for those family road trips where someone inevitably forgets their wordsearch. Plus, the gameplay is so simple to teach that you can get it on the table quickly. If you’re on the hunt for a new travel-sized game, I highly recommend you dive into this one, it’s a catch worthy of any gamer looking for their next travel title!

In conclusion, we would rate this game a 8.2/10

You can find out more about the game below:

Souvenirs from Venice

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