Gameplay in Brief:
Players each try to guide a civilization through the ages, developing the technology, economy, culture, and military of their people. There are four possible types of victory: tech (reaching level five technology: space flight), economic (accumulating 15 coins), culture (devoting cities to the arts), and military (conquering another player's capital city).
As players develop their civilizations, they will face minor civilizations (some peaceful, some warlike) and may absorb them. The more difficult challenges come when you confront your opponents' civilizations.
The Basics:
For 2 to 4 players (best with 4), ages 12 and up. About 180 to 240 minutes per game.
Designer:
Sid Meier's Civilization: The Board Game was designed by Kevin Wilson.
Publisher:
Sid Meier's Civilization: The Board Game was published by Fantasy Flight Games and Edge Entertainment.
Genre:
Sid Meier's Civilization is a civilization-building game which uses variable player powers.
Awards:
Sid Meier's Civilization was my pick as the #6 board game of 2010.
Also by Kevin Wilson:
Wilson has designed or co-designed more than 20 published games and expansions, including Arkham Horror (2005), Descent: Journeys in the Dark (2005), A Game of Thrones (2003), Fury of Dracula (2006), Doom: The Boardgame (2004), and Android (2008).
Similar Games:
Although both are based on the Civilization videogame series created by Sid Meier, Sid Meier's Civilization: The Board Game is not related to Sid Meier's Civilization: The Boardgame (2002, designed by Glenn Drover, published by Eagle Games). Likewise, it is not connected to Sid Meier's Civilization: The Card Game (2006, designed by Soren Johnson and Sid Meier, published by 2K Games).
Meier has credited the board game Civilization (1980, designed by Francis Tresham and Mick Uhl, published by Avalon Hill) with inspiring some of the videogame's development.
