- Publisher : Pixie Games
- Designer(s) : Jun Sasaki, Goro Sasaki
- Artist(s) : Jun Sasaki
- Players : 2–5
- Playing time : 30 Min
- Weight BGG : 1.20
What's this?
Souvenirs of Venice is a family board game in which you play as a tourist in a gondola cruising the canals of the Venetian city. Your mission? Collect the rarest souvenirs to bring back enough for your loved ones before time runs out. But be careful: between the race against time and a slightly disruptive pigeon seed seller, your getaway might not go as planned!
How do you play?
- Flip a tile anywhere.
- Roll the die to determine their movement.
-
Move their gondola on the tiles (movements are made on rows or columns).
-
Flip an adjacent tile, sell a souvenir to exchange it for a silver coin , or buy a souvenir that is already face up.
-
Collecting souvenirs : there are 6 different types:
-
Venetian glass
-
Venetian mask
-
Leather goods
-
Gondolier’s shirt
-
Squid ink pasta
-
Fridge magnet
-
Souvenirs only earn points in sets of three of the same kind . Rarer ones are worth more points but are harder to collect.
⚠️ Events and end of game:
When the Pigeon Seed Seller is revealed, you must immediately trade one of your precious souvenirs to the player to your left. A real pain!
The game ends as soon as all the tiles are turned over . If you don’t return to the airport in time, you lose your memories – the plane has left without you!
Is it good?
After Scout , a game from the same publisher that I loved – recognizable with its small, well-filled boxes and minimalist illustrations – I was curious to try Souvenirs de Venise .
In this game, we clearly find the typical artistic direction of Oink Games: a style that is at once simple, colorful and stylish.
Souvenirs of Venice is a race against time to acquire the best souvenirs before time runs out. It combines risk-taking, luck, memory, and a touch of bluffing, with welcome twists, including the appearance of the pigeon food vendor , who may disrupt your best-laid plans.
The game is very easy to pick up, making it accessible to everyone, even casual players.
But despite all these strengths, Memories of Venice isn’t really a tactical or strategic game. It’s a bit too fast-paced to allow for any meaningful choices or truly decisive actions.
Ultimately, the game isn’t as exceptional as Scout , also from Oink Games. It won’t be suitable for those looking for depth or high replayability. On the other hand, it perfectly fulfills its role as a fast, light and accessible game , ideal for a relaxed game with friends or family.
If you enjoy the content and want to support the site, purchase your games through our affiliate links. The price remains the same for you, but we earn a small commission. Thank you for your support!
Review Souvenirs of Venice
Positives
- Typical Oink Games art direction
- Simple rules and quick start
- Game accessible to all audiences
- Short game
Negatives
- Little strategic or tactical depth
- Strong element of chance
- Sometimes parts too fast to feel a build-up in power
- Less striking and original than other games from the same publisher (like Scout)
