Colosseum (board game)

Lore & Background

The game is played in rounds, each round consisting of five phases except the last round, when phase 5 is not played. In each round, one player is the first player, who does every phase first; the first player changes every round. Each player has an arena where the events are performed, and starts with two possible events to perform. Every event requires a different combination of asset tokens, small squares depicting various people, animals, and objects that would be used in a performance; players start with some of these and can acquire more during the game.

In the first phase, players can invest. There are four choices: expanding the arena, which allows better events to be performed and increases the chances of a noble landing there; constructing an emperor's loge, which allows the player to roll two dice instead of one when moving nobles; buying a season ticket, which adds five spectators to every event; or purchasing a new event, which requires at least one arena expansion (some require two).

In the second phase, players can buy asset tokens. There are five markets in the center of the board, each with three tokens. Players may start auctions for these markets, but no player may win more than one auction per round.

In the third phase, players may trade, buy, or sell asset tokens among themselves.

In the fourth phase, the event is staged. The player rolls one die (or two if they have an emperor's loge) and moves any noble clockwise. If rolling two dice, the player may combine the results or split them between two nobles. A noble inside a colosseum adds extra spectators. If a noble lands on certain spaces, the player receives an emperor medal, which can be used for various benefits. The number of spectators is then calculated, and the player earns that many coins. As in many Days of Wonder games, scores are tracked around the board's edge with wooden pieces. A player's final score is the total number of spectators from all events performed over the game.

In the fifth phase, closing ceremonies, which occurs every round except the last, each player must discard one asset token used in the previous event. The leading player receives a podium, which grants three extra spectators for that round only. The losing player may request one asset token from the winning player.

Reader's Guide

Colosseum is a board game that received several nominations for awards in 2007 and 2008, including the Dice Tower Awards nomination for Best Artwork, Golden Geek Best Board Game Artwork/Presentation nominations in both 2007 and 2008, Golden Geek Best Family Board Game nominations in both years, a Golden Geek Best Gamer's Board Game nomination in 2007, and an International Gamers Awards - General Strategy; Multi-player Nominee in 2007. The game was reviewed in Rebel Times #3. Its significance lies in its design by established game designers Markus Lübke and Wolfgang Kramer, and its publication by Days of Wonder, a company known for producing visually appealing board games. The game's mechanics involve investment, auction, trading, and dice-driven movement of nobles, with scoring based on the maximum spectators attracted to a single event. The inclusion of an emperor's loge, season tickets, and arena expansions provides strategic depth. The game's artwork, by Julien Delval and Cyrille Daujean, was specifically recognized with multiple nominations. The game's legacy is as a family- and strategy-oriented board game from the late 2000s that emphasizes spectacle and resource management.

Did You Know?

• The game was nominated for the 2007 Dice Tower Award for Best Artwork.
• Players can construct an emperor's loge to roll two dice instead of one when moving nobles.
• The leading player earns a podium worth three additional spectators in every later round.
• A player's score is the maximum number of spectators attracted to one event.