Codenames vs Azul
Side by side comparison of two top board games
Codenames
Codenames is a word-based party game where two teams compete to contact their agents first. Each round, a spymaster gives a one-word clue that can point to multiple words on the board. Their teammates must guess the correct words while avoiding the opposing team's agents and the assassin. Simple to learn but endlessly replayable.
Azul
Azul is a beautiful tile-placement game where players decorate the walls of the Royal Palace of Dona Maria. Players take turns drafting colorful tiles from factories and placing them on their player boards. The game is elegant and simple to learn but offers deep strategic decisions about when to take tiles and how to complete patterns.
Specification Comparison
| Spec | Codenames | Azul |
|---|---|---|
| BGG Rank | 145 | 76 ✓ |
| Rating | 7.6 | 7.7 ✓ |
| Year Published | 2015 ✓ | 2017 |
| Price | 20 ✓ | 30 |
| Min Players | 2 | 2 |
| Max Players | 8 ✓ | 4 |
| Play Time (min) | 15 ✓ | 45 |
| Min Age | 10 | 8 ✓ |
| Complexity (1-5) | 1.29 | 1.77 ✓ |
Codenames wins in 4 categories, Azul wins in 4 categories.