This is the Carcassonne vs 7 Wonders game comparison showdown. Both of these games are all stars and very easy to play but besides that, they are completely different. Carcassonne is a worker management tile placement game. 7 Wonders is a secret draft and civilization building game. We dive deep into both. Learn a little about the games then check out our Carcassonne vs 7 Wonders notes and final verdict.
ABOUT THE GAMES
About Carcassonne (2000): This may be one of the easiest games to learn and play which is probably why so many people use it as a gateway game (something you start with to get people into the hobby). The board starts with one tile and turn after turn players draw a tile and lay it somewhere on the map that makes sense. Then you choose whether or not to claim something you just started with you limited workers.
FOR MORE: Carcassonne Page | How To Play Carcassonne | Carcassonne Review | Games Like Carcassonne | Buy Carcassonne on Amazon
About 7 Wonders (2010): This is one of the best drafting games out there. Over three eras (rounds), players pass around cards and take one from a stack turn after turn to take actions that help either build up your empire and resources or help construct your specialized wonder of the world. Collecting the right sets or making the right investments get you victory points that will help you win by the end.
FOR MORE: 7 Wonders Page | How To Play 7 Wonders | 7 Wonders Review | Games Like 7 Wonders | Buy 7 Wonders on Amazon
CARCASSONNE VS 7 WONDERS ANALYSIS
Theme: Both of these are set in a long ago time but are still about 1400 years apart. 7 Wonders is set in the times of Greece and the ancient great wonders, about 800 BC. Carcassonne is set during the knight and castles medieval times, about 600 AD. With Carcassonne the theme is purely a background. 7 Wonders is close to that but requires you to dive a little deeper with all the variable buildings and combos.
Gameplay: In Carcassonne vs 7 Wonders, the winner in Gameplay is you. These are two of those unique classics that have just a few steps to play, but they are incredibly robust and deep in paths to victory. And they are legends because of it. These kind of feel the same in that you are stuck with something that you have to deal with on a turn by turn basis, but that is it.
Mechanics: These two games are on opposite sides of many things. In Carcassonne, you take a tile, put it in a central grid somewhere it makes sense and then choose if you want to put your limited meeples on it. It is a game of short and long term investment and resource management. 7 Wonders is a drafting game where each card you take one after another triggers growth in resources or an opportunity to use them.
Time Commitment: Both of these games are going to run you around 40 minutes. They both are very quick for what they are and very satisfying at that. In Carcassonne vs 7 Wonders, both of these run around the same timing.
Player Count: Both have something special going on in the player count department. Carcassonne feels like it should only handle 2 – 4 but it also runs at 5 players and does so well. 7 Wonders is able to handle the elusive 7 player count. There are almost no great strategies at that count because it would take forever, but with the draft and simultaneous nature of the game, they are able to do it quickly.
Cost: These games are both over ten years old, have reached epic popularity and have countless expansions to build upon the base games. that means that again in Carcassonne vs 7 Wonders, the winner is you.
VERDICT
Verdict For the Shelf: In the battle of Carcassonne vs 7 Wonders, the verdict is Carcassonne (50% of the time) and 7 Wonders (50% of the time). These games are too different and stars within their own respective fields to say that one is better than the other. They both have clear pros and cons but would be an asset to any game shelf.
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