San Juan is a Strategy game available on the BOARD. It can be played in Physical Competitive Turnbased modes.

San Juan is a Strategy game. Strategy games provide experiences that require quick thinking, and forward planning from the gamer. They combine the unfolding tactics of classic games like chess, with more recent board games such as Risk. Usually focusing on a theatre of war context, players enjoy the tactical overview of the battle these games provide.

San Juan can be played in a Physical mode. Physical games use real world cards, props and boards. Sometimes this complements a video game experience, but more often they simply exist as physical games in their own right. These games range from Eye of Judgement that uses a camera to detect which cards a player has, to interactive play experience like EyePet. Video games that make use of these props look to encompass the strong board gaming tradition that pre-dates and often outsells video games - such as Settlers of Catan or Carcassone.

San Juan can be played in a Competitive mode. Competitive Multiplayer games provide experiences where players compete against each other and the computer. Obviously lending itself to sports and team games, these competitive engagements have also dominated the shooting and fighting genres because of the direct combat and expertise involved in each. Although these games were originally played in a split screen style, more recently they are played online via services such as PlayStation Network, Xbox Live and the Nintendo Wireless Connection.

San Juan can be played in a Turnbased mode. Turn Based games are played in turns, so that players can stop and consider their next move. This is common in tactical experience such as strategy or adventure games as this enhances the sense of control and planning the player has. Other genres - such as sporting, fighting and rhythm action games obviously rely on realtime game play.

News

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Reviews

Board Gamer review Tue, 01 Dec 2009

San Juan is a card based derivative of the board game Puerto Rico. While not strictly a board game as it has no board, it's a turn based game in which you need a fair bit of table space to build your empire. Knowledge of the game and strategy is key, although there is some luck involved too.

San Juan is the little brother to the popular board game Puerto Rico. It was created in order to shorten the original game, so many elements of Puerto Rico have been simplified to achieve this, and you definitely don't need to have played the original game in order to enjoy this one. The two games are similar in style, but San Juan has no board and is played entirely with cards which are laid out on the table in order to build your town, produce goods, trade, and eventually win by earning enough points.
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