Azul Vs Sagrada with Bryan

[@wolflarson71]

Nice comparison. I think one missed opportunity here is a brief discussion scaling comparisons especially since Azul is much more confrontational at 2 player than higher player counts. I actually prefer Azul at a higher player count and Sagrada at lower (much less downtime).

[@Radien]

I definitely agree that Azul changes more with the player count, entirely because of the “not it!!” element of trying not to get stuck with a big pile of tiles you can't use that get converted into negative VPs at the end of the round. Since one player is forced to take tiles last each round, it gets more cutthroat with two players, like you said. I'd also add that between the two, game length is more predictable in Sagrada. You WILL get the chance to take exactly 20 dice, although bad luck and/or poor planning may force you to pass near the end of the game and leave some spots open. Azul, on the other hand, has tile formations that act as endgame conditions, so you can significantly shorten the game with certain tile placement.

[@AlamarianJ]

I agree that Azul changes significantly based on player count, though I have the opposite opinion: I like Azul better with two players. Three is ok, four is a no-go for me. Trying to find a way to draft what I want while also “hate drafting” my opponent(s) is the best part of Azul for me. The more players in the game, the harder this is. But I know people who don’t like to be “mean” and they hate, er, “hate drafting” as a result. For those people, 4 player Azul or Azul: Summer Pavilion might be better.

[@xfoolsgoldx]

I have both games and Azul hits the table more often and gets a better reception from freinds. Sagrada seems to cause confusion with the casual gamers but the hard-core gamers prefer Sagrada but like them both😎

[@phillipaden3617]

I guess it's kinda randomly asking but does anyone know of a good place to watch newly released movies online?

[@damaridecker2139]

@Phillip Aden Lately I have been using flixzone. Just search on google for it :)

[@searose6192]

I'd like to see Sagrada vs Azul Stained Glass of Sintra

[@PamWD]

I have both and really like both, but tend to like Azul better (as does my family). But Sagrada has a single variant which is nice for me as I'm always looking for a good solo game.

[@joseroman3791]

14:14 ..."So much for watching the Dice Tower"... I was all like: no please! don´t cancel my favorite channel!

[@Ben-pf9wx]

There is one reason I prefer azul. It’s because of the other side of the card, that is blank. That gives the same matching rules of sagrada, and I just prefer the factory rules than just going turn by turn getting dice.

[@sirhamalot8651]

I have both and play them both with friends. However, Sagrada feels more like a multi-player solitaire game. Also, despite the initial look of Sagrada, it becomes a strain to see the colors, the little dice and differentiate the point markers (See 8:20 for a good comparison). Additionally, many tools let you move dice around and you will find yourself fumbling with your dice trying to see what space is under the die. Azul is a cleaner design, faster play, easier rules and more player interaction. I like them both, it depends on what you're looking for. If we're going to play Sagrada, we play it as the first game of the night while we are all energized and fresh then we move on to other games that take less squinting and brain power. I do like them both but Azul edges out Sagrada for me and my gaming group.

[@Bassishify]

I’m in total agreement with you. Love both, but forced to choose: Sagrada

[@andicameron7277]

Josh Walton Do you choose sagrada because of the same reasons or are there more?

[@wetwillyccma]

I own both. They both are wonderful. But if I want to pick which one to play in my game group it will be Azul. Same with my game group. :)

[@tiagomarques9822]

Just one correction: in Azul you are making walls, not floors. "Azulejos" are wall tiles which you can see all over Portugal.

[@TheLatestRetroBoardGameShow]

Tiago Marques Lolol I knew I had that backwards!

[@kevinbhieey9188]

Azulejo tiles CAN be used on ceilings and floors, but the vast majority are on walls. Often in mural form. And to be annoyingly anal, the directions mention that you are tiling a wall repeatedly. In fact, when you move the tiles right, that's called the Wall-Tiling phase. And the Floor is where they drop when you have too many. So everything about the game sticks to that Wall theme pretty rigorously.

[@bioLarzen]

One more point of comparison usually neglected in such - otherwise great - reviews: the price. And Sagrada wins that handily. It's considerably cheaper (at least around where I live).

[@EyeInSky2000]

Excellent debate for both of these XLT titles. You did a great job highlighting the elements of each game. Both LOOK fantastic with great components. Azul generates a more competitive "take that" type of environment where you can seriously block your opponents. Sagrada is more passive with "friendlier" interaction by giving opponents more breathing room to navigate their goals. Replay-ability also appears higher with Sagrada, yet I'm equally impressed with Azul's more direct & streamlined style of play. Azul seems to benefit more when players pay attention to their opponents' boards, whereas Sagrada offers various tools (varies from game to game) that provide added flexibility to mitigate bad luck of the draw. I have seen Azul vs. Sagrada, Azul vs. Reef, and Sagrada vs. Roll Player. Most of these games are so close it's truly a toss-up to which is the better choice. Azul might play 5-10 minutes faster because there is no dice rolling aspect. Both should be around the same price (+/- $5), and enjoyed by gamers and non-gamers alike. Once again, fantastic job on the video!

[@carla8478]

Probably another reason I prefer Sagrada, I don't like "take that" mechanics much.

[@h2t26]

I wish I found this a couple of years ago, would have made my choose easier. I had to pick as well. I eventually choose Sarada. What broke the tie was the solo mode for Sagrada. I rarely have someone to play with, so I prefer games that don't require a second or more players to enjoy most or all of it. It's not a very good solo mode, so much is left to chance, but it does make you better at the game and you can always make some adjustments. As for the positives I agree there is several expansions more out and still a couple more coming. As for Azul it's a one off, there are other version now out but no expansion of the original. That being said if I had a more consistent group I would just get both. The first Sagrada and wait for a sell to get Azul.

[@Steve-yd9ki]

I love dice in a game so Sagrada over Azul is a no brainer.

[@dustonfilm]

great vid! had fun watching you show the highlights to both of these games. and i think you hit the nail on the head - Sagarda wins in replayability with the variations of each game (cards) and therefore it takes the victory. though, i do think Azul is the more simple and elegant game in aesthetics and mechanics... like many pure abstract games, the bold confident simplicity and depth may stand longer in the test of time. (and what's stopping Azul from introducing objectives and cards?) what would be a great versus battle of games? i'd love to see a clash of two of my personal favorites...both viking themed... Raiders of the North Sea Vs. Champions of Midgard. (both with expansions). cheers!

[@jbnnz325]

The only downside of Azul for me is the player board. If only they made it like Sagrada boards, thicker and the slots where the tiles can sit nicely.

[@bleachedwhale]

Everyone in my group seems to enjoy playing Azul at least once a month as filler between bigger games. I haven't played Sagrada yet, but it looks like fun!

[@LunaBianca1805]

We got both as well, been playing Azul for I guess roundabout two years, over and over again. Though to be honest we play the one with the thrombus shaped tiles (always forget the actual name of that ^^') more often than the regular one. Most often when we want something relaxing or don't have too much time and just want something quick. And I just got Sagrada for a birthday present two weeks ago. Really enjoyed that a lot and its expansions are definitely on my radar for that reason 🥰

[@nekojita5150]

Love this Vs model. Thanks!

[@marcelo1x1]

Omg this was actually an excellent comparison! Subscribing right away

[@TheLatestRetroBoardGameShow]

Marcelo Herrera thanks so much!

[@zinnatkarim465]

A very concise review. Thanks.

[@Andy-ft7bm]

Thanks for the great review! Was considering buying this for my brother in law and the breakdown has me convinced that he would love the game. Having only played Azul, it seems that Sagrada lacks some of the aggression found in Azul-such as the cause and effect of removing certain tiles to give opponents negative points or poor groupings. Of course, screwing someone over in Sagrada could be even more detrimental to their overall score. Anyway, random thought.

[@dannys_78]

Wonderful video, thanks for this!

[@ernieprescott1]

My vote goes to Azul for 2 players. I find the Sagrada 2 player experience to be lacking vs Azul.

[@Norbi3274]

I think in this versus instead of Azul should be Roll Player.

[@TheGunslinger019]

Roxas1231 Roll Player with the expansion is amazing.

[@xfoolsgoldx]

TheGunslinger019 I own both, Roll player is better than Sagrada in my opinion😎

[@oritholze1765]

looks very colorful , worthy games , nice review

[@Mentat1231]

Eminent Domain vs. Race for the Galaxy vs. Alien Artifacts? Or any pair of those? That would be cool.

[@TheGunslinger019]

Mentat1231 Race for the Galaxy!

[@lukewunderlin7627]

Eminent Domain for sure!

[@kevinbhieey9188]

Excellent video! And correct choice. Though I think what it comes down to is: if you want more of a puzzle game, go with Sagrada. If you want more player interaction and strategy, go with Azul. And if you only have 2 players, definitely go with Sagrada. Azul just doesn't work for me as a 2-player game.

[@andicameron7277]

KevyB why doesn’t it work for you as a 2-player game?

[@peterterry7918]

I would have a harder time deciding between sagrada and roll player

[@jessicapearson9479]

Actually, AZUL has a stained glass version as well as a few other versions. Maybe compare the AZUL stained glass against the Sagrada. I think they are more similar than the regular AZUL?

[@TheLatestRetroBoardGameShow]

I foresee an update coming.

[@jediquigley2192]

I'd like to buy one of these, dont have the money for both and don't want too many similar games. I've played sagrada once at a boardgame cafe and liked it but still tempted by azul....esp the chocolate edition as I am a chocolate fan, so basically, I have still not made my mind up😅

[@BoardGamesBricksHobbies]

Coming back to this after finally having played both and I agree 100%. Sagrada is refreshingly simple, but offers great replay value and has modular expansions for those who want a bit more depth. I did not find Azul fun in the slightest.

[@nedeljkodukic7279]

Azul has more tension/confrontation. Sagrada is more like I'll take these and if they happen to hurt my opponent all the better. In Azul you'd pick something that doesn't advantage you much just to prevent the other of getting what he wants and giving him extra tiles for losing VP. Sagrada feels more like I'll do things on my side and you on yours and see what happens. Too much randomness involved whereas Azul has more strategy. Few rules hard choices.

[@jordyrousse658]

No way! Azul all day every day 😃

[@bluezio123]

Another vote from the Sagrada camp here :-). I own Sagrada but I have played both, and I agree that Sagrada feels much more replayable to me.

[@bennguyen1313]

And I thought the 'Can't Stop' game had lots of pieces! Sounds like Azul is simpler, and perhaps better to start with before trying Sagrada? Any thoughts on the Dead Of Winter Crossroads Game? Or Uncle Wiggily?

[@BoardGamesBricksHobbies]

I find Sagrada much simpler, the rulebook is literally 3 pages including pictures and examples. Definitely a better introductory game in my opinion.

[@Raklarpt]

Sagrada's somewhat random final score annoys me so much. I've won games just because i got lucky and got several 6's of the secret objective colour, despite not completing a lot of the window.

[@wolflarson71]

There are a couple if helpful variants on BGG that help reduce this randomness.

[@apertotes]

And the winner is... Roll Player!

[@ryanp3922]

apertotes I was going to leave the exact same comment.

[@bioLarzen]

If you have almost twice as much to spend on one game, and like the type of games where you have to deal with a rather intricate set of rules right away, without a real chance to kind of ease into the game - then for sure. However, if you like to start playiong without going to the hour-long argument routine of trying to make sure evryone understands each rule (with nothing to attach them to yet, as they have never played the game before...) before embarking on the first, tentative round... well, than Sagrada or Azul are definitely better. IMHO all three games are great - just not necessarily to the same people. Some will like the Sagrada more than Roll Player - other ones the other way around.- I, for one, would always prefer Sagrada over Roll player - but would gladly play the latter too.

[@zinnatkarim465]

Also, want to see Heroes of Land, Air and Sea vs. Scythe.

[@loki665zx9]

Thought same thing. Once you learn how to maximize your points in Azul you'll just play it same way over and over again - just starting with different color. Learn the tricks to max points and the game is pretty much done. Sagrada on the other hand has many varibles as you said that add to the replayabillity. It might be a little bit more difficult for the 1st playthrough however everyone catches up really quickly making it a better game for me also. One thing to notice: Azul is more color-blind friendly while Sagrada is not.

[@TheLatestRetroBoardGameShow]

loki665zx9 you are certainly right. I’m not colorblind but my friend is pretty badly colorblind and it’s hard for me sometimes. I can’t imagine for him.

[@lazulin]

Sagrada is like two games - Azul and Roll Player, which remarkably, are not at all similar to each other. Personally, I prefer those two over Sagrada. Azul has wonderfully elegant rules and has only enough luck to make it replayable. The more skilled player will typically win, unless they are well-blocked by other players; players create variability. Sagrada's rules are very confusing to first-time players and often require reminders even on a second play. My main criticism, however, is that how lucky your scoring card is plays a far larger role in your victory or loss than how you played. Now - Roll Player is a dice placement game where both color & number matter, but the luck mitigation is far stronger and there's constant interesting decisions to make. It also has a strong theme of creating a D&D-esque character. With Monsters & Minions, your decisions get even more interesting and your heroes get to fight monsters. The game culminates with you taking down the boss, which is an excellent ending to any game. It is far deeper and more interesting than Sagrada, while sharing many of the same mechanics. So for me - Sagrada is a good game that doesn't have a real place in my collection as it is neither as elegant, fair, and easy-to-teach as Azul and not as deeply strategic, thematic, & exciting as Roll Player.

[@muhilan8540]

What about the newest Azul?

[@matthewdrake1076]

I have played both I played sagrada with 6 and we had the one of each color in a row rule and only one of each number in each columns the game took about 2.5 hours and it is the least fun I have ever had playing a board game. It’s possible we just got unlucky with the random point rules but I personally would never choose to play it again.

[@Buffalodude1]

Bryan will you be at Dice tower con?

[@TheLatestRetroBoardGameShow]

Ian McNear not this year. New baby coming soon so I’m out of pocket.

[@Buffalodude1]

Firstly.... Congratulations!! Secondly, I was hoping to be able to shake your hand. I've been enjoying your videos a lot, and am always excited to see new ones drop. But good luck with your incoming newborn!

[@TheLatestRetroBoardGameShow]

Thanks so much!

[@InteractionImplants]

The right pick Bryan =)

[@pnutbutrncrackers]

Was a little disappointed in the verdict this time, as I recently bought Azul for my wife and I to play together. No prob, I'm sure we'll have a really good time still. :)

[@TheLatestRetroBoardGameShow]

Hop you’ll love it too.

[@danielengel4593]

I like both, and I think they are totally different games. If I had to pick one, for what ever reason, it would be Azul, cause it is so streamlined and easy to teach. (Azul should win SdJ 2018, imo).

[@KristoVaher]

Yup, while Azul has the hype, Sagrada is better overall both thanks to depth and replayability.

[@dannys_78]

I've played both a lot recently - and like them both. However, I think Azul is where I would lean - just because it's simpler and faster, and there's less AP when playing. Sagrada definitely wins on replayability, as you say, just because of the randomness when it comes for the scoring objectives/tools etc, but I prefer Azul. Haven't got either of them yet... they're both overpriced here in Australia. However, we'll probably end up getting Azul at some point...

[@dannys_78]

... and now we have both. Our FLGS had a 30% off sale, so they were both a great bargain :)

[@searose6192]

Which is easier to scale down difficulty to play with children? It seems like in Sagrada you could do only 'no same colors next to each other' and not use the tool cards and the game would be fine for 8-10 yr olds. I can't really see a way to make Azul easier for kids.

[@TheLatestRetroBoardGameShow]

SeaRose that’s for sure. We tried it with our daughter recently and it worked.

[@searose6192]

@@TheLatestRetroBoardGameShow thanks!

[@minottechtutor9715]

I guess if I were reccomending a game for a new player, I would say Azul. But, if you are a gamer, then I would rather play Sagrada almost any day. Both are good though.

[@deejayfox1764]

Barenpark vs Patchwork. King of Tokyo vs Dice Throne. Resistance vs Crossfire

[@xfoolsgoldx]

DeeJay Fox Have them both and they are both very good. My personal opinion is patchwork is the better game but it's very close😎

[@wolflarson71]

Patchwork only 2 player. Uwe has other tetris games that scale the same as Barenpark.

[@dannys_78]

Barenpark vs Cottage Garden.... I like them both, but Barenpark is easier to teach, Cottage Garden is a bit more fiddly in its scoring :)

[@TheDige]

I like them both, and will keep them both, but I do like the replayability of Sagrada more. I like the feel (literal feel) of Azul more, but after several dozen games, it feels a bit more same-y than has Sagrada after a similar number of plays.

[@TheLatestRetroBoardGameShow]

The Dige excellent point. Azul is a tactile beauty.

[@patrickhowc2342]

Fully agree with this, it's Sagrada for me too (owner of both!) @oasisboardgamers

[@patrickhowc2342]

And please do more of these videos!

[@devomunro]

Sushi go vs Cat lady

[@lazulin]

Undoubtedly Cat Lady. I have about 26 plays of it and still love it. It's more interactive, it's more strategic due to the open information, there's more variability (stray cats), and the blocking is far more hilarious & cut-throat. Also, cat jokes. None of my friends have been willing to play Sushi Go since we got Cat Lady and I suspect that's not changing.

[@theshogunstein6475]

agree

[@deejayfox1764]

And Libertalia vs Citadels

[@wolflarson71]

Splendor vs Century Spice Road.

[@TheGunslinger019]

Splendor. Spice Road gets boring quickly. But try Majesty: For the Realm too.

[@carla8478]

Century. But the golem edition. Played both, Splendor fell meh for me, seemed to take longer to get going. Plus I like the card hand manipulation as an extra mechanic in Century.

[@iveo83]

I agree

[@XRay44]

Sagrada all the way. Azul is boring.

[@sarahkelley768]

Sagrada vs Roll Player

[@joeysalt8974]

Azul will played in tournaments for years to come. Classic strategy. Sagrada will be forgotten in a year.

[@carla8478]

So Azul will be played in tournaments, Sagrada in homes. I game at home. :)

[@indef2def]

My perspective: (1) Azul has vastly more replayability than Sagrada, because it can produce extremely different types of games: a low-scoring rush on the top row; a huge point-amassing contest; a mutual screwing-over with lots of score penalties... Sagrada has a fixed length and scores are bound to be fairly close. (2) Azul just about forces you to pay close attention to everything your opponent does, whereas the interaction in Sagrada is hard to follow, and Sagrada has hidden objectives for no apparent reason other than to inject drama into the counting up of (usually very close) endgame scores. Sagrada loses to Azul for me on the one side (build a mosaic game), and also loses on another side (dice-building game with fixed length) to Roll Player. Roll Player has many more cool things you can do with your dice, interacting with cards that reward all kinds of patterns, plus the die-drafting and market order mechanic forces the kind of attention to your opponents that I find so lacking in Sagrada.

[@republikadugave420]

Sagrada>Azul

[@stephen227]

Damn good presenter.

[@timbuczkiewicz8507]

Great review sagrada is such a lovely game!

[@hellboy7424]

Dragon Castle is better.

[@JoeBesserfan]

Sagrada wins for me because it can be played solo...I would like to see Rick:Star Wars Edition vs Jurassic Park Danger.

[@xshadowscreamx]

The virgin Azul vs the Chad sagrada.

[@pgaboury]

Ti4 vs HoLAaS

[@TheLatestRetroBoardGameShow]

Philippe Gaboury now I feel stupid that I can’t figure out this acronym.

[@pgaboury]

The Latest Retro Board Game Show Don't. It's Twilight Imperium 4 vs Heroes of Land, Air and Sea. I'd love to get one of the bigger games but don't know which to pick.

[@StratosGerakakis]

Stop looking at your watch, man...

[@dasnack]

Nice video idea, but he sounds nervous. The sheer amount of mistakes made during the video makes it harder to enjoy.

[@TheLatestRetroBoardGameShow]

Alexander Díaz watch my other videos for a slighter smooth feel lol. Had to get it shot with my 4 year old right off camera tempted to mess with it the whole time. I mean slight mistakes and nothing uncorrected though.