Expert game Stupor Mundi published by Pegasus Spiele
Friedberg, June 16, 2025: The expert game Stupor Mundi designed by Nestore Mangone published by Pegasus Spiele has been available since mid-May. As Frederick II’s henchmen, the players are an essential part of his impressive administrative structure. In order to win, they must build their own castles and at the same time secure influence in the kingdom.
The strategic expert game by Nestore Mangone, illustrated by Maciej Janik, is named after Frederick II himself, who was also known as Stupor Mundi, Latin for “the wonder of the world”. Under his rule, a progressive kingdom full of culture, glory and power flourished, making him the first modern ruler of Europe to go down in the history books.
In Stupor Mundi, up to four players aged twelve and up follow in the footsteps of Frederick II’s henchmen to issue edicts, train specialists and build their own castle with towers, walls and main buildings. A game lasts up to 150 minutes and takes place over several rounds, each consisting of an action phase and a final phase. In the action phase, players travel to new locations with their ship to gain allies, obtain better action cards or take advantage of special exchange rates at markets. Everyone then plays an action card and performs the action on the card or a main action on their game board. While issuing edicts to manage Frederick’s possessions offers rewards such as resources or coins, expanding your own castle offers advantages such as more storage space for resources or improved action cards. Everyone deals with the final phase simultaneously by drawing cards from their hand and receiving income from their castle and allies. The game ends as soon as all edicts have been issued, the action cards run out or the first castle has been completed.
Stupor Mundi is a challenging strategy game with a historical setting. In addition to the focus on expanding your own castle, the main game board, which represents Frederick’s palace and the city and surrounding area, also plays an important role. This is where players issue edicts and compete for influence. Only those who plan ahead and cleverly combine possible actions will gain fame, wealth and the necessary victory points to win the game. Strategic planning and targeted actions are also the keys to success when playing the Stupor Mundi solo variant. Here, the player challenges Frederick II himself to a duel and fights for the title of Duke.
