Santa Monica

Santa Monica is a delightful, light strategy game that's perfect for a casual game night with friends or family. The pastel art and the theme of building your own beach town are incredibly appealing, and the game's tableau building mechanic, where you collect and arrange cards to create your beachfront, is both engaging and visually satisfying. I found the game to be full of interesting choices and decisions, even if many of them involve choosing the least bad option from a selection of cards. However, the game's replayability is high thanks to the huge card deck and the numerous ways to score points.

While I love the game, I do agree with some reviewers that the box is far too large for the components. It would have been great if the box were smaller and included a way to organize the components, making it a more travel-friendly option.

Overall, Santa Monica is a fun, beautiful game that is easy to learn and enjoyable for both casual and experienced gamers. If you're looking for a light, strategic game with a great theme and beautiful components, I highly recommend giving Santa Monica a try.