Jaipur Card Game Review: This Indian-Themed Game Combines Culture, Strategy, and Fun

This article contains affiliate links, which means we may earn a small commission if you make a purchase through them, at no extra cost to you.

As someone who loves testing and trying new board games, it’s unusual when I find an option I really want to keep playing again and again. The last time I felt that way was when I discovered Sequence and Game of Life when I was 10. I’m a regular at the local board game café, and after trying more than 20 games, I finally found one I can keep going back to — and it’s the best option for couples or two friends.

Shop now at Amazon: $26.99

Jaipur is a 30-minute fast-paced card game built around trading goods for game money. It’s also the only trading card game with an Indian theme. Jaipur was also published by the same studio (Asmodee) that has published other popular titles including Catan and Azul. The goal is simple: you play as merchants in the capital of Rajasthan and trade as many goods as you can to gain the most coins. Higher-quality items like diamonds, gold, and silver are worth more than items like tea or silk. Depending on how many goods you trade in one turn, you can also gain bonus points. The game even appoints a special 5-point coin for the player that gets the most camels — yes, you can also trade for camels.

I’ve always been skeptical of card trading games because they’re usually hard to learn, take too much time to finish, or are just not as portable as you expect a card game to be. Luckily, Jaipur is all three of those things and is one of the most enjoyable games I’ve played in a while. You can take it with you on the go, since setup only requires cards and game coins. You play the game till you either run out of cards from the deal pile or run out of coins for three of the six goods.

While obtaining the right cards might feel a bit like luck, the game actually requires quite a bit of strategy. There are only a limited number of coins to trade for, and they also deplete in value. Your first three traded silks may be worth 5 or 4 coins, but the more goods that are traded from each category, the less they’re worth , until ultimately, the pot runs out. Before you know it, you’ll be counting your money at the end of the round to see who has actually won, because it really is anybody’s game.

At the end of the full round, the player with the most loot is appointed a Seal of Excellence. There are three total, and of course, the player with the most seals wins. Some might describe the game as simple, but I think the simplicity of it is what makes it so much fun. It’s not hard to learn and truly offers hours of enjoyment without boredom creeping in.

The best part? The game can be yours for under $30, and the Amazon version also comes with a collectible coin for owners of the dueling card game.

Shop now at Amazon: $26.99

‍

‍