7 Wonders
Modern card-drafting civilization game. Designed 2010 Antoine Bauza (French designer). Repos Production. 3-7 players, 30 min. Won 30+ awards including Kennerspiel des Jahres 2011 (first ever). Players build one of the 7 Ancient Wonders civilizations across 3 ages via simultaneous card drafting. Duel 2-player version 2015.
What is 7 Wonders?
7 Wonders is 2010 CARD-DRAFTING BOARD GAME designed by ANTOINE BAUZA (France) + published by REPOS PRODUCTION (Belgium). 3-7 players (VERY UNIQUE: scales beautifully at 7) build 1 of 7 ANCIENT WONDER civilizations (Alexandria, Babylon, Ephesus, Halicarnassus, Olympia, Rhodes, Gizah) across 3 AGES. GAMEPLAY: each age players simultaneously pick 1 card from hand, pass remainder to neighbor (Age 1 + 3 pass LEFT; Age 2 passes RIGHT) — DRAFTING mechanism. Cards represent: RESOURCES (brown/gray), COMMERCIAL (yellow), MILITARY (red), SCIENCE (green), CIVIC (blue), GUILDS (purple, Age 3 only), WONDER STAGES. End of each age: MILITARY BATTLE with neighbors (compare shields; win = VP, lose = -VP). Final scoring: VP from coins/military/wonder/civic/commerce/science (sets of green symbols) + guilds. Winner = highest VP. WON KENNERSPIEL DES JAHRES 2011 — FIRST YEAR AWARD EXISTED. Sold 3M+ copies. EXPANSIONS: LEADERS, CITIES, BABEL, ARMADA. 7 WONDERS DUEL (2015, Bauza + Cathala) — 2-player version with completely different mechanics, also acclaimed. 7 WONDERS SECOND EDITION (2020) — visual overhaul.
Quick facts
Category
Board Games
Type
Team sport
Players
3–7
Duration
~30 min
Where played
indoor
Field / court
Wonder board + card display
Country of origin
🇫🇷 France
Estimated origin
Designed 2010 Antoine Bauza; published Repos Production 2010; Kennerspiel des Jahres 2011; 2nd Ed 2020; Duel 2015
Olympic
No
Popularity
major
How it works
Objective
Build civilization scoring most VP from military + science + civic + wonder + commerce + guild cards.
Rules
Basic rules
3 Ages: I, II, III (7-cards each per player)
Pick 1 card, pass rest to neighbor. Age 1 + 3 pass LEFT; Age 2 passes RIGHT.
Card types: resources / military / science / civic / commerce / guilds / wonder
Playing card costs coins or resources; sometimes free due to chain-building.
Wonder stages built by discarding card + paying cost
Each stage gives bonus (VP, coins, resources, free build).
End of each age: military resolution
Compare shields with left + right neighbor; winner takes military VP tokens.
Science sets score exponentially
Each symbol type (compass/tablet/gear): n² + sets of all 3 = 7 VP each.
Winner = most total VP after Age 3
Sum coins/military/wonder/civic/commerce/science/guilds.
Scoring
VP from coins ÷ 3 + military tokens + wonder stages + civic + commerce + science (exponential) + guilds.
| Action | Points |
|---|---|
| Coins | 1 VP per 3 coins |
| Military win | +1/+3/+5 per age (I/II/III) |
| Military loss | -1 per loss |
| Science | n² per symbol type + 7 per set of 3 |
| Civic (blue) | 3-8 VP printed on card |
| Guild (purple) | Varies (0-15 VP) |
Win condition · Highest total VP.
Playing area
Called
Wonder board + card display
Dimensions
one Wonder board per player + hand of 7 cards per age
Each player has A/B Wonder board with 3-4 wonder stages + played card tableau.
Equipment
Wonder boards (7 with A + B sides)
€50 retail base game
Card deck (~150 cards across 3 ages)
Age 1, Age 2, Age 3 decks
Coin tokens + military conflict tokens
Silver 1, gold 3 coins
Guild cards (Age 3 only)
Purple; special scoring
Strategies
Science: commit or ignore
Half-hearted science = low VP. Commit fully for exponential growth or focus elsewhere.
Watch neighbors' resources
Age 2 commercial cards let you buy from neighbors; know what they have.
Chain building saves coins
Some cards free if you built prerequisite in previous age.
Terminology
- Wonder
- Ancient civilization player represents; 7 available.
- Age
- One of 3 rounds; new deck each age.
- Drafting
- Pick 1 card from hand, pass rest to neighbor.
- Chain building
- Free build if prerequisite card already owned.
- Guild
- Purple card (Age 3 only); powerful VP.
- Shield
- Military symbol; compared with neighbors at age end.
Major competitions
7 Wonders World Championship (Repos)
annual · worldwide · since 2011
Kennerspiel des Jahres 2011 winner
once · Germany · since 2011
Golden Geek + Dice Tower awards
annual · worldwide · since 2010
Where it is played
Governing bodies
Repos Production (publisher)
Founded 2005 · Belgium
Kennerspiel des Jahres
Founded 2011 · Germany
Famous names & records
Famous athletes
- Antoine Bauza (France, b. 1978) — Designer; also Hanabi, Takenoko, Tokaido
- Bruno Cathala (France) — Co-designer 7 Wonders Duel
Learn this sport
beginner
- 1
Play digital version (Steam or App)
Fast learning + AI opponents.
- 2
Base game 4-5 players
First game 45 min with rule explanation.
intermediate
- 1
Try B-side Wonder boards + full 7 players
Harder + more strategic.
- 2
Add Cities expansion (best first expansion)
New card types + diplomacy.
advanced
- 1
Compete in World Championships (regional qualifiers)
Repos Production organizes annually.
- 2
Try 7 Wonders Duel for 2-player mastery
Completely different game feel.
Frequently asked
What is 7 Wonders?+
CARD-DRAFTING BOARD GAME (2010) designed by ANTOINE BAUZA — 3-7 players build ANCIENT WONDER civilizations across 3 ages. Each age: pick 1 card from hand, pass rest to neighbor (drafting). Cards represent resources, military, science, civic, commerce, guilds, wonder stages. Score VP from all categories. WON KENNERSPIEL DES JAHRES 2011 (first ever). 30 min gameplay regardless of player count (SIMULTANEOUS play scales beautifully). Sold 3M+ copies. Considered gateway modern hobby game + benchmark for card drafting mechanics.
What's the difference between 7 Wonders and 7 Wonders Duel?+
7 WONDERS (2010) = 3-7 players, drafting mechanic, 30 min. 7 WONDERS DUEL (2015 by Bauza + Bruno Cathala) = 2 PLAYERS ONLY, COMPLETELY DIFFERENT gameplay — cards laid out in pyramid pattern where players alternate taking from bottom row (revealing cards above). Duel considered ONE OF BEST 2-PLAYER GAMES EVER; wins comparable acclaim. Both use similar CARD TYPES (military, science, civic) + wonders. Different games with shared theme + designer — not variants of each other.
How long does 7 Wonders take?+
30 MINUTES regardless of player count (2 to 7 players). SIMULTANEOUS SELECTION mechanic means 7 players play as fast as 3. First game 45-60 min with rule teaching. Considered EXTRAORDINARY EFFICIENCY for player scaling — most hobby games slow dramatically with more players. Digital versions (Steam, mobile) ~20 min.
Sources & provenance
- Wikipedia — 7 Wonders— Wikipedia
- BoardGameGeek — 7 Wonders— BGG