Although my own games collection is modest in comparison to many gamers I know, it makes sense to feature some of my own favourites (i.e., from an artwork point of view). So my next pick is Colosseum, released in 2007 by publisher Days of Wonder.
Colosseum components
Like all DoW titles, the production quality is as good as you’ll see anywhere for games of this class. The artist for Colosseum is Julien Delval, who also illustrated DoW’s Ticket to Ride series, Shadows Over Camelot, Mystery Express, and Cleopatra. He is also one of several artists credited for the Dominion, BattleLore and Memoir 44 series, and about a dozen other games, some from DoW, some from other publishers.
Colosseum board
Apart from the box cover art (which is good, but not great), the most interesting features are the board itself, and the little ‘noble’ pawn figures – Consuls, Senators and the Emperor.
At first glance the board looks busy and complicated. But in fact it isn’t that complicated – a scoring track around the outside, a place for auctioned props and actor tokens in the middle, and a path for the Nobles to travel around where they visit the players’ arenas (colossea?). Everything else on the board is art to add to the flavour of the location.
The game is about hosting events in your arena and attracting spectators, which give you income to buy more actors and props, and host bigger and better shows in later turns. With the board somewhat reminiscent of a sprawling city, playing the game does indeed evoke a sense of being a competitive show producer in ancient Rome.
Colosseum Nobles
At first look the little Noble pieces look and feel like carved timber, but on closer examination they are actually molded and painted resin. It is not clear whether Delval is the ‘sculptor’ responsible for their shapes, although I assume not. Regardless, these pieces are so cool that one can’t help but want to handle them (especially the Emperor and the Senators).
Admire it, play it, and soak in the theme…
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