First introduced to me years ago during a friend's board game weekend, Seven Wonders is a relatively quick game to learn and play, yet it still has layers of complexity that make it entertaining for many playthroughs. It most reminds me of the computer strategy game, Civilization. Each player is given the city responsible for one of the classic Seven Wonders of the World. They progress through ages that each increase the power of the available abilities and buildings.
The game is nice in that no player is eliminated during the game; everyone is involved until the game comes to an end. It also plays quickly in that all of the players play simultaneously each turn and there are only 18 turns in the game. There is still luck involved, but it never feels truly unfair. For the most part, it is all about building structures (including the titular Seven Wonders) in the present with your eye on future turns.
I was surprised that everyone in the family took to the game so quickly. While the younger boys are still not planning ahead, they seem to get a lot of joy out of watching their city grow whether they win or not. Even Janelle is looking forward to playing more in the future.
Considering the board games we picked up this summer, I wonder if it's time to host our own board game day (or weekend).