8 Dragons + Deluxe Version
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Your swarm activates a location and other players' Wyrmlings flying with you get bonuses. On your neighbor's turn, your dragonlings fly into their swarm and you collect tiles. No one ever waits.
WHAT IT'S ABOUT
Dragons flying in shared swarms building the richest lair
In 8 Dragons, you embody a dragon flying between the two realms of Sinistra and Dextra, but you're not alone: your Wyrmlings (newly hatched dragonlings) are ready to follow you. Sönke Schmidt designs a game where dragons form shared swarms with other players' Wyrmlings, and Pauliina Hannuniemi's illustration provides a gentle, almost cozy fantasy. The Kickstarter closed with over 5700 backers and almost half a million euros raised.
On your turn, you move your dragon along the figure-8 board and stop at a location; if you pass through the Wind Valley, you collect a Wyrmling that joins your swarm. When you activate a location, all Wyrmlings in your swarm (even those of other players) get bonuses, and when your dragonlings fly into other players' swarms, you benefit from their turns. Each player expands their lair by placing tiles simultaneously, reducing downtime to zero.
What they say abroad
"Minimal downtime, maximum Dragon time."
Minimal downtime, maximum Dragon time.
— Wonderbow Games
8 Dragons is a game with few ratings on BGG but a convincing Kickstarter campaign. The shared swarm mechanic promises to eliminate downtime and make every other player's turn relevant. We will update the card as soon as we have the first real games on the table.
— FroGames
8 Dragons
FrogScore · FroGames editorial rating · first read: based on rules and official presentation, updated with first playsThe lair components
What you build by flying between realms
Wyrmlings and swarms
Dragonlings join your swarm when you pass through the Wind Valley. They can be yours or other players': when your Wyrmling flies with another dragon, you also collect bonuses on other players' turns.
Lair tiles
Each tile represents a chamber of your lair. You place them to form sets of three identical or three different, and each completed set gives you coins immediately. At the end of the game, the symbols printed on them also count.
Coins and artifacts
Coins are used to buy special Merchant tiles, which offer end-game missions (like 4 coins for each book-gear pair in your lair). Artifacts are found on tiles and are worth gold points at the end of the game.
Figure-8 board
Two realms, Sinistra and Dextra, connected by the Wind Valley in the center. Each realm has the same locations (villages, sanctuaries, markets) but with different resources. The figure-8 path allows for continuous strategic loops.
Come si gioca
Video dimostrativo di gameplay.
🎲How to playThe rules in four steps▼
How to play
The flow of each round
Two distinct and fast phases per turn. Most players are active even when it's not their turn.
Move your dragon along the figure-eight board and stop wherever you like. If you pass through the Wind Valley, collect a Wyrmling (yours or someone else's). When you stop, activate the location's effect for yourself and for every Wyrmling in your swarm.
If there are other players' Wyrmlings in your swarm, their owners activate the location's effect. Nobody waits idly: everyone checks if they have Wyrmlings in the active swarm and collects resources.
If you have collected den tiles, you do NOT place them immediately. You wait until the end of the turn, then ALL players who have tiles simultaneously flip them over and place them in their dens. This eliminates downtime.
The next player starts their turn. The cycle continues until someone completes their den (by placing all available tiles) or the Merchant tiles run out. At that point, gold is counted and the winner is declared.
⏱️Your first gameThe chronicle, moment by moment▼
A game in five moments
What happens at the table
Not the rules. The experience.
Solo Takeoff
Each dragon starts alone, without a swarm. You complete the first circuit of the figure-eight board, choose a location, and collect your first resource (coins, treasure chests, or village tiles). You don't have any Wyrmlings yet: you are fast but not very efficient.
The swarm forms
You pass through the Wind Valley and collect your first Wyrmling. Now when you activate a location, the Wyrmling also gets the bonus. On the next turn, someone else passes, collects your Wyrmling, and you benefit from their action: you begin to understand the game's engine.
Everyone flies with everyone
Swarms lengthen, mix, and break apart. At the table, no one really waits: when it's not your turn, you check if your Wyrmlings are in the active swarm and collect tiles or coins. Downtime disappears.
The race for Merchant tiles
Someone buys a 5-coin Merchant tile worth 4 gold for each pair of symbols. Everyone looks at their den, quickly counts the symbols already placed, and revises their plan. The next location choices depend on that tile.
Final count
End of game: coins on tiles, collected artifacts, and Merchant quest bonuses are tallied. The player who built the best sets and bought the right quests wins. The game lasted less than an hour and everyone is asking for a rematch.
🐸Good to know beforehandThree honest things, from friends▼
Good to know beforehand
Three honest warnings
Almost no downtime, but less control
The shared swarm system keeps you always active, but it also means your resources partly depend on others' choices. If you're looking for a game where you control every variable, this isn't it. If you're okay with your Wyrmlings flying away and coming back, it works perfectly.
Lightweight, limited depth
8 Dragons has a BGG weight of 2.5: accessible, fast, but not as layered as a heavy Eurogame. Choices matter (which location, which sets to build, when to buy Merchants), but an experienced player will exhaust it in 4-5 games. Perfect for families and as a gateway game, less so for heavy gamers.
New game, few reviews
On BGG it has less than 30 votes and no in-depth reviews published yet. The Kickstarter went well, but we don't know how it holds up at the table after 10-20 games. This sheet is an initial reading based on a preview and the rulebook: we will update it when we have more data.
🏆Victory and defeatWhat the ending rewards▼
How it ends
How to win and how to lose
The player who accumulates the most gold wins. Gold is only counted at the end of the game, summing up coins, artifacts, and mission bonuses.
Victory
- You have built den tile sets that maximize the coins printed on them (each set of three identical or three different is worth immediate gold + symbols at game end)
- You have bought Merchant tiles with profitable quests (e.g., 4 gold for each pair of symbols in your den) and built your den to fulfill them
- You have collected more artifacts than others by visiting the right villages at the right time, leveraging shared swarms to multiply bonuses
Defeat
- You spent too many coins on Merchant tiles that you then didn't fulfill (missing symbols in your den)
- You built your den without a plan, placing tiles randomly and losing bonuses from completed sets
- You didn't utilize shared swarms: your Wyrmlings remained idle while others flew and collected resources every turn
A game that promises zero downtime and unique shared swarms. If it works as stated, it's a perfect gateway for those who hate waiting for their turn.
💬Frequently Asked QuestionsQuick answers before checkout▼
Frequently Asked Questions
8 Dragons FAQ
What mechanics does 8 Dragons use?
Set collection (collect tiles and form sets of three identical or three different), tile laying (build your den by placing tiles one at a time), race (whoever completes their den or exhausts the Merchants triggers the endgame), and a unique system of shared swarms where a player's Wyrmlings fly with other players' dragons and benefit from their actions.
Is it true there's no downtime?
Almost. When it's not your turn, you check if your Wyrmlings are in the active player's swarm: if so, you also collect resources. Additionally, all players simultaneously place den tiles at the end of the turn. The result is that you wait much less than in a classic game, but it's not literally zero (you still have to follow what the active player is doing).
Does it work well with two players?
The game scales 2-4, but with 2 players there are fewer Wyrmlings in circulation and shared swarms are less chaotic. It works, but the best experience is probably with 3-4 players, where swarms mix more and downtime truly disappears.
Is it suitable for those looking for deep strategy?
No. The weight is 2.5 out of 5: choices matter (path, sets, Merchant quests), but the depth is limited. Perfect for families and casual players, less so for experts looking for complex decision trees or long-term engines. If you're looking for a heavy Eurogame, look elsewhere.
Is it available in Italian?
The edition sold on FroGames is in English. The game has text on cards (Merchant tiles with quests and location descriptions), so basic knowledge of English is necessary. There are no official or fan-made Italian translations currently available.
The people behind the game
Who invented it, who designed it, who publishes it — and what else they've done.
8 Dragons is a board game for 2-4 players, lasting 40-60 minutes, ages 10+, designed by Sönke Schmidt and published by Wonderbow Games. The main mechanics combine set collection and tile laying: players embody dragons flying along a figure-eight board, collecting Wyrmlings (baby dragons) that form shared swarms with other players, and building their own den by placing tiles to maximize coins and artifacts. The shared swarm system reduces downtime to almost zero, as each player benefits from others' actions when their Wyrmlings fly with opponents' dragons. Available on FroGames.it.
Frequently Asked Questions
The answers you're looking for, no beating around the bush.
📸Do the images match the actual product?
The photos on the website often come from BoardGameGeek and are intended to give you an idea of the game. They may vary slightly from the version you receive. The content declared by the publisher is always binding.
📦Does the content of the box match what is indicated?
We always strive to provide the correct content, but minor variations are possible due to reprints or updates. The information comes directly from the publishers. If you have any questions, please contact us!
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