NOTE: This entry is for the retail edition that has 32 gods and 4 mode cards, as compared to the Pantheon Edition with 100 gods and 12 mode cards. The remaining content was split into 4 expansion packs: Soaring over Olympus, Tides of Poseidon, Seasons of Chaos, and Hiding in the Underworld.

Santorini is an accessible strategy game, simple enough for an elementary school classroom while aiming to provide gameplay depth and content for hardcore gamers to explore, The rules are simple. Each turn consists of 2 steps:

1. Move - move one of your builders into a neighboring space. You may move your Builder Pawn on the same level, step-up one level, or step down any number of levels.

2. Build - Then construct a building level adjacent to the builder you moved. When building on top of the third level, place a dome instead, removing that space from play.

Winning the game - If either of your builders reaches the third level, you win.

Variable player powers - Santorini features variable player powers layered over an otherwise abstract game, with many thematic god and hero powers that fundamentally change the way the game is played.