I have spent several evenings testing card games with friends, and 5 Towers is one title that keeps coming back to the table. This article walks through the card game piece by piece, then shifts to a different project that shares the same name a large housing development in Yerevan. Both stories use the word “towers,” but the ideas behind them are very different.
5 Towers is designed by Kasper Lapp, with artwork by Annika Heller, and it uses 110 cards to create a quick tabletop experience for 2 to 5 players aged 7 and up. A round takes just 15 to 30 minutes, and both Deep Print Games and Pegasus Spiele describe it as a family card game. Players act as master architects competing for the tallest collection of towers through bidding, timing, and planning.
On the other side of the map, Five Towers Yerevan is a modern residential community from Arm Construct near Vahagni District. It combines residential buildings, commercial spaces, a business centre, recreational facilities, and landscaped areas into one living environment.
Game Overview
Anyone who picks up 5 Towers for the first time will notice how well it suits a short family session, since 2 to 5 players aged 7 and older can finish a round in 15 to 30 minutes. The specifications are simple: 110 cards, an auction mechanic, and artwork by Annika Heller.
Underneath that easy setup sits a proper tower-building strategy, where every player must balance the desire to acquire cards against real limitations.
The Concept
Every round opens with five tower-section cards on the table, and the goal is straightforward: build towers as high as possible while deciding how to use what you win.
Because each person can build only one tower of each type, taking more cards is not automatically beneficial, since those cards must slot into a descending numerical order. This restriction creates a real strategic dilemma should you bid hard, or think beyond the current turn?
The Bidding Mechanism
New players quickly learn the auction element, because it always starts the same way: someone sees five cards on the table and gets tempted into an aggressive bid. The first player announces a number from zero to five, other opponents can raise the bid or pass, and bidding continues until the highest bidder takes exactly the number of cards promised. Winning the auction can limit future construction opportunities, and that tension is exactly what makes 5 Towers rewarding.
Building Towers
Once a card is won, it has to fit the current state of your towers, because the numbers must decrease as the tower grows upward, and a top card with a value of 8 only accepts a lower value above it.
Cards that look useful at first can become difficult to use later, and players who build quickly without good timing may find that newly available cards simply do not fit. I have made this mistake myself, chasing a large collection only to learn that quantity and usefulness are not the same thing.
Artwork and Presentation
Annika Heller’s colorful artwork gives each tower type its own identity, with small references to films and games that reward a second look during play. Kasper Lapp, the credited designer, built an architectural theme that keeps a playful family atmosphere while hinting at deeper strategic possibilities in 5 Towers.
Short Playing Time
A 15 to 30 minute playing time is short enough that families rarely feel an evening slipping away, yet 5 Towers still gives casual players and experienced gamers something to think about strategically. The recommended age of 7+ keeps it open to younger players, and the range of two to five stays flexible for group size.
Game Details
The official numbers line up cleanly: players 2–5, recommended age 7+, playing time 15–30 minutes, and 110 components in the box. Designer Kasper Lapp and artist Annika Heller are credited across editions, with Pegasus Spiele and Deep Print Games each listing the same title.
Tearing Down Cards
Sometimes the smartest move in 5 Towers is to remove the uppermost card from a struggling tower when it is preventing further construction. Doing so sends the card to a teardown pile, but it triggers a scoring penalty that climbs fast: the first removed card costs one victory point, the second costs two, and the third costs three. That decision comes down to whether opening the way for a stronger tower is worth the cost.
Tower Tops and Scoring
Scoring rewards patience, since cards in a tower without a tower top earn one victory point each, while a completed tower with a tower top doubles that to two points each. Every player also names a main tower, and each card placed there earns an additional victory point, rewarding both quantity and quality by the end.
A Game of Timing and Risk
The official description of 5 Towers leans hard on timing and the courage to act at the right moment. Bid too low consistently, and you miss valuable opportunities; bid too high continually, and you risk restricting your own future choices.
What Makes 5 Towers Interesting?
The real appeal sits in how many simple mechanics run at once: bidding against other players, planning how cards fit your layout, watching opponents, and deciding when to complete tower tops or tear down obstructing cards. Every decision affects later rounds, which is exactly why a short playing time can still feel this rich.
The Five Tower Limitation
The five-tower structure sits at the center of the game, because you can build only one tower of each of five types rather than chase unlimited structures. This stops the game from turning into simple card collecting, and instead players must decide which towers deserve attention as soon as a new card appears.
The Importance of Long-Term Planning
Good players treat each round as more than just the current moment, since taking a card can solve an immediate problem while quietly building a longer-term limitation.
Passing on an attractive opportunity might hand another player an advantage, but it can also preserve flexibility for future rounds that trade-off is the true strategic character of 5 Towers.
5 Towers as a Quick Game-Night Choice
Thanks to its short playing time, 5 Towers works well as a warm-up before something heavier, or as a quick competitive round with friends, and it holds up across several repeated rounds in one sitting.
Availability in India
At the time of writing, Board Games India lists this game at ₹1,000, excluding tax, though the product page currently shows it out of stock. The retailer offers a request option so it can be sourced once new stock arrives, but pricing and availability can change.
A Residential Complex Designed Around Lifestyle
Turning to the housing project, Five Towers is a five-building residential complex, with each residential building rising 23 floors above ground and two levels below ground.
Four buildings hold commercial areas, and the fifth works as a four-storey business centre, going beyond plain apartments to offer a children’s playground, a kindergarten, a tennis court, a football field, a modern gym, and electric-vehicle charging stations.
Location near Vahagni District
The location near Vahagni District is one of the project’s strongest selling points, with nearby a mall, a medical centre, schools, and kindergartens, making it genuinely convenient for families.
Five Buildings with Different Functions
The five-building layout carries a clear concept: four buildings hold three levels of commercial space for shops and supermarkets, while the fifth becomes a business centre with four floors. This creates a mixed-use character, treating residential buildings as part of a wider master plan rather than isolated blocks.
Green Areas and Outdoor Spaces
Green space is written into the master plan, with specifications listing about 4,962 square metres of landscaped areas that support walking, relaxation, and recreation while separating buildings visually.
Recreational Facilities
A tennis court, football field, and modern gym cover fitness needs for adults, while a playground and kindergarten round out the family-oriented facilities.
Commercial Facilities within the Community
Four of the five buildings carry three floors of commercial space for shops, supermarkets, and other services, giving residents convenient access to everyday products. Current listings show commercial units of different sizes, including options in Buildings A and B.
Dedicated Business Centre
The fifth building is planned purely as a four-storey business centre, adding a dedicated business component to the site’s mixed-use character. Residents gain access to workplaces and professional services in one place.
Parking and Security
284 parking spaces sit across two underground floors, and round-the-clock security supports controlled access and monitoring, which matters in any multi-building complex.
Electric Vehicle Charging
Electric-car charging stations appear among the planned facilities, giving the project real infrastructure for electric vehicles, which become a more useful feature every year.
Apartment Options and Project Scale
The developer’s project page shows apartment availability, with Building D listing units from 77.6 to 159.7 square meters, while other buildings offer a wider selection of spaces. Because availability changes over time, buyers should consult the developer for the latest layouts and prices.
A Large Planned Residential Community
The master plan lists a total project area of about 12,168 square meters, combined with landscaped area and parking infrastructure, turning a simple collection of towers into a genuine community covering housing, business, recreation, childcare, and green space.
Arm Construct and Five Towers
Arm Construct describes itself as a company established in 2019, with a portfolio of residential developments across several districts of Yerevan, including Arabkir, Nor Nork, and Malatia-Sebastia.
Conclusion
5 Towers turns a compact card game into a lesson in strategic planning, where the key challenge is never just how many cards to take but knowing when to bid and hold back. Balancing aggressive bidding against long-term flexibility separates a lucky win from a genuinely skilled one, and that balance is what keeps this game on my shelf.
FAQs
What is 5 Towers?
5 Towers is a card game designed by Kasper Lapp, with artwork by Annika Heller, published by Deep Print Games and Pegasus Spiel. It is built around bidding, planning, and building towers from a shared set of cards for 2 to 5 players.
How long does a game of 5 Towers take to play?
A typical round takes between 15 and 30 minutes, making it a quick option for a family game night and allowing several rounds in one sitting.
How many players can play 5 Towers?
The game is designed for 2 to 5 players aged 7 and above. This range makes it flexible enough for a small two-player contest or a larger group game.
What happens if a card does not fit my tower in 5 Towers?
If a card does not fit, remove the uppermost card and send it to the teardown pile, though this creates a scoring penalty that increases with each card removed.
Is Five Towers in Yerevan the same as the 5 Towers card game?
No, Five Towers in Yerevan is a separate residential development by Arm Construct near Vahagni District, unrelated to the card game. They simply share a name.
