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Azul: Summer Pavilion
The Azul that lets you breathe, plan, and actually keep your leftovers.
Designed by Michael Kiesling · 2019
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It's the deepest, kindest Azul yet, and if the original always felt a touch too mean for your table, this is the one to own.
Best for: Couples and families who liked Azul but wanted more room to plan and fewer gut-punches.
What it is
Here's the pitch. You and up to three friends draft diamond-shaped tiles from factory displays, then spend them to fill a hexagonal star, where placing a tile in the three-slot literally costs three tiles. Each round one color goes wild, so you can patch holes when the supply dries up. You keep up to four leftovers for next round. Six rounds, then the highest score wins. Kiesling took the bones of Azul and let them stretch.
The catch
Now the honest part. This is slower than the original, full stop. The placement phase invites long, methodical turns, and with two careful planners you can sail past an hour, which surprises people expecting a breezy forty minutes. Reviewers like Meeple Mountain's David McMillan also grumble that the theme is vague and it can feel like more Azul rather than a new game. And that central scoreboard? Thin, flimsy cardboard. Players bring it up constantly.
Who it's for
So who's this for? If the original Azul left a sour taste because someone dumped garbage tiles on you and you ate a pile of negative points, Summer Pavilion is the fix. The wilds and the saving rule soften the cruelty without dumbing things down, and several reviewers now call it their favorite in the line. Newcomers might start with base Azul. Everyone else, this is the keeper.
What other players say
This write-up is grounded in real reviews and player discussion, not just one opinion. A few worth reading:
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