Asmodee Azul Summer Pavilion Board Game | Tile-Placement Strategy Game, Family Fun for Kids & Adults, Ages 8+, 2-4 Players, 30-45 Mins

Why it's worth it

Azul: Summer Pavilion is a tile-drafting game for two to four players that runs 30 to 45 minutes. The 132 resin tiles feel like something from a fancier product than a board game, and almost anyone at the table can pick it up in one round.

Hand someone a stack of these tiles and watch what happens. They're chunky resin, not cardboard, and they clack. That sound is a big part of why Azul games get taught at holidays and then stay on the table for another round. The box is compact too, so it travels to a relative's house without a fight.

This is the pick when you don't know their taste, because it's nearly impossible to dislike. It's rated for ages eight and up, it plays two to four, and a full game fits in the time between dinner and dessert. A veteran hobbyist won't call it deep, but they'll still play it. That combination is rare and it's exactly what a gift needs.

From our review of 6 gifts for board game lovers

What we like

• +Hand someone a stack of these tiles and watch what happens
• +This is the pick when you don't know their taste, because it's nearly impossible to dislike
• +Summer Pavilion is a follow-up to the original Azul, with a new objective, a wild-color rule, and different end-game scoring
• +The original Azul won the Spiel des Jahres, Germany's mainstream game of the year and the most watched award in the hobby

What to know

• –It caps at four players, so it's the wrong gift for a crew of six
• –Owners regularly say the rulebook is the weak part