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Description
In Royals, players take on the roles of the great noble houses of the 17th century, fighting for supremacy in Europe at that time. With the help of the right country cards, they occupy influential positions and obtain bonuses for this in the form of victory points. The higher the rank of the title associated with the position, the more country cards required. Already-occupied positions can be contested by playing intrigue cards.
The game proceeds over three periods, with a scoring taking place after each of them. During scoring, the players with the greatest influence in each of the four countries score victory points. After the third period scoring, the game ends with the scoring of the individual titles. The player with the most victory points wins.
Year Published
2014
Transcript Analysis
Browse transcript mentions, sentiments, pros/cons, mechanics, topics, quotes, and references.
Total mentions: 5
This page: 5
Sentiment:
pos 5 ·
mix 0 ·
neu 0 ·
neg 0
Showing 1–5 of 5
Video P-W_VdJuy0U
Unknown Channel game_review at 1:02 sentiment: positive
video_pk 12016 · mention_pk 35189
Click to watch at 1:02
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- quick to learn and teach (roughly five minutes to grasp the basics)
- tight three-round structure that remains compact yet with meaningful depth
- satisfying area-majority and influence mechanics that create meaningful tension
- works well with five players and keeps pacing brisk due to short rounds
Cons
- artwork and map aesthetics feel dated or utilitarian, not visually striking
- thematic presentation can feel dry or underwhelming to some players
- end-of-round and end-game scoring can be slightly opaque without quick references
Thematic elements
- area control, influence, and national identity expressed through color-coded country cards and personality elements
- Medieval to early modern geopolitical setting where nations compete for control of cities and territories across a map
- macro geopolitical struggle with rulers (personalities) on the board guiding regional influence
Comparison games
- A Game of Thrones: The Board Game
- Game of Thrones (board game)
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- area_control — players place cubes on the board to establish influence over cities and personality spaces; majority in a country yields scoring benefits
- country_cards_and_deployment — country cards are drawn or taken from face-up selections and are used to enable moves and determine where influence is placed
- influence_removal_and_reassignment — injury/entry cards allow a player to displace an opponent’s influence in a city, moving their cube to a Cathedral space while still preserving some influence
- majority_scoring — at end of each round and end of the game, players score based on who has the most influence in each country and on personality cards
- multi_round_structure — the game unfolds over three rounds, each with its own setup and scoring emphasis, providing a self-contained arc
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- "it's very quick to play"
- "it's very quick to learn"
- "it's got a layer of depth to it but not one that's gonna get you confused or where you don't really have any options"
- "Royals place five players... it's very very quick to play"
- "it's almost like it's taken out of your houses... the unwanted lodger has moved in"
- "it's polite... it really cares about your feelings"
- "it's quick to teach five minutes to grasp"
- "three rounds, each with its own unique quality"
- "it's basically looking to grab victory points based on area majorities and personality card majorities"
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video PxK9NS0dubs
Arcane Wonders general_discussion at 0:16 sentiment: positive
video_pk 5534 · mention_pk 16451
Click to watch at 0:16
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- The game presents a quick, approachable introduction to euro-style mechanisms while retaining a satisfying depth as players pursue seat control and influence.
- The set-collection and color/shield interplay is attractively thematic and easy to teach, with a clean route from setup to scoring.
- The scoring track is transparent and well-supported by physical markers, making point-tracking intuitive and reducing counting fatigue.
- Intrigue cards add a dynamic layer of direct interaction, creating moments of dramatic disruption that can shift the balance between players even late in a round.
- The three-age structure gives a natural arc to the match, with escalating stakes and opportunities for strategic planning and adaptation.
Cons
- Not explicitly detailed in the clip, but potential for downtime exists in multi-player games where players wait for others to finish actions; this is common in euro-style games with take-that elements but not overtly negative in the source material.
- The length could feel slightly heavier than a purely light game for casual audiences, depending on player count and familiarity with the set-collection/influence dynamic.
Thematic elements
- Power, prestige, and political maneuvering within a compact, abstracted euro-style economy of influence. The thematic core emphasizes alliance building, rivalries, and the strategic timing of moves to maximize control over cities and, by extension, national influence.
- A stylized, late-medieval to early-modern European political landscape where noble houses contest influence across major cities. The board / map features cities represented by seats that must be occupied to score, with color-coded crest sets symbolizing each country.
- Elegant yet brisk euro-mechanic flavor with clear thematic ties to diplomacy, intrigue, and the rush of trying to consolidate power before opponents can react. The game presents a clean, almost ceremonial feel around seat control and prestige without heavy narrative storytelling.
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- draw and take from tableau — On each turn, a player may either take cards from the visible tableau or draw from the facedown stack. This creates strategic tension around which colors and how many cards to pick to assemble an effective set while denying options to opponents.
- end-of-age scoring and markers — At the end of each age, countries are scored based on influence. The player with the most influence in a country earns the highest marker, the second-most earns the next marker, and so on. These markers help determine who holds power across ages and contribute to final victory conditions.
- graveyard and influence tracking — Used or influenced cards move to a graveyard, while influence counters and shield-matched markers stay on the board to track ongoing control. This mechanic creates a persistent record of alliances and influence that feeds scoring later in the game.
- intrigue interaction — If another player wants the same seat, they can play an Intrigue card with a matching shield color to challenge for the seat, potentially displacing the current holder. This introduces direct competition and the possibility of strategic disruption of an opponent’s plans.
- multi-age progression and bonuses — The game unfolds over three ages, with scoring and marker movement after each age. Additional bonuses are available for fully influencing all seats within a country, and the top player may claim the Marshall position for extra points. In the event of ties, markers are split, maintaining competitive parity and encouraging precise indexing of influence.
- seat acquisition and placement — To claim a seat in a city, a player plays a combination of red (or relevant colored) cards that matches the city's shield color. Once a seat is claimed, the player places a marker on that seat and gains early point potential, with additional scoring opportunities tied to the city later in the round.
- set collection — Players collect color-coded crest cards from an open tableau or by drawing from a face-down stack. Sets of a given color unlock the ability to claim city seats, with color matching acting as the primary engine for seat acquisition.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- Royals is a quick game of political intrigue in Europe.
- it actually looks a little bigger than light, it just looks really impressive.
- very cool.
- The three ages, with end-of-age scoring and the Marshall for additional points, gives the game a clear arc and a sense of progression.
- Intrigue cards can tilt the balance and create moments of dramatic shift as players vie for control of key seats.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video sM-6WWFdC8I
Unknown Channel top_100_ball_games_list at 10:54 sentiment: positive
video_pk 4395 · mention_pk 12843
Click to watch at 10:54
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Elegant, streamlined design with tense interaction
- Simple core concept that scales well
Cons
- Designer name not as recognized as some peers
- Occasional confusion about country cards and timing
Thematic elements
- Influence and card-based governance
- Court/political intrigue across countries
- Strategic, backstabbing intrigue
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- area influence/cube pushing — Acquire country cards and push influence cubes to gain favor in courts.
- majority scoring — Higher influence yields scoring bonuses and control of the court.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- Race for the Galaxy is a fantastic card game
- it's a real pain in the ass to learn/teach because it's got a rather bamboozling icon system
- it's a really rewarding game made even better with a couple of the expansions
- I love Puerto Rico I love the feel of it and it's just a classic game
- Captain Flip is such a simple promise
- Carnival zombie is a rip roaring rolicking romp
- this game is basically chaos in a box
- it's a deck building racer
- Royals is effectively a que pushing game
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video uYNVXp6Q-PA
Board Game Co general_discussion at 2:58 sentiment: positive
video_pk 3114 · mention_pk 9088
Click to watch at 2:58
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Multiple viewers convinced host to keep it
Cons
none
Thematic elements
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
Mechanics unknown.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- I know the games I play. I know the games I love to play. And I know the games that I theoretically want to play but don't actually play.
- I need at least one of those two things in play - either high personal interest or good reputation
- Designers, reviewers, other people mentioned
- I'm going to be trying to be more mindful about reality as opposed to the desires that I have
- These tend to be less of a priority. Like occasionally I dive into an unplayed game that isn't a review copy, but more often than not if I'm diving into an unplayed game, review copies do take precedence
- I have so many euros I love and so many that I'm behind on
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video ofLuLFgZ0xs
Unknown Channel top_10_list at 7:22 sentiment: positive
video_pk 2435 · mention_pk 7110
Click to watch at 7:22
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- highly interactive
- dynamic region control
Cons
- feelings can be hurt; friendships can suffer
Thematic elements
- area control and political maneuvering
- Historical European powers
- murderfest of control
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Area Control — fight to control regions in Europe
- direct player elimination — kill or remove opponent pieces
- interaction emphasis — constant backstabbing and negotiation
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- it's a race game it makes it super interactive
- it's really quite mean
- this game is mean but it's only mean at two players
- it's so highly interactive
- this is easily one of my favorite auction games ever
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
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Showing 1–5 of 5