Board Game Review: 3 Ring Circus

Designers: Fabio Lopiano and Remo Conzadori

Artist: Edu Valls

Publisher: Devir

1-4 Players

Playtime: 60 Minutes

Circuses have a bad reputation, and quite frankly, it’s deserved. While they have been rebranding over the last decade, it’s easy to romanticize the spectacle they once were. In 3 Ring Circus, players take on the role of circus managers in the old days, traveling across the Eastern United States to build their acts and perform in different cities.

A Brief How To Play

Each turn, players choose between engaging an artist (hiring a performer for their circus) or performing a show (moving to a location and earning rewards). Artists are placed in one of three rows on the player’s circus tableau in increasing value, with placement granting benefits such as pedestals that boost show performances or end-game points. Small acts are hired using money cards, while larger acts come from the ticket deck and contribute to final scoring.

When performing, players move their circus caravan to small towns, medium cities, or main cities, each offering different rewards. Small towns provide money, medium cities award points based on pedestals on the player’s board, and main cities require specific performer types to score big. P.T. Barnum’s caravan moves across the board after each show, triggering regional scoring phases when it reaches a main city. The game ends when Barnum completes his loop, at which point players total their fame points from performances, pedestals, and objective cards to determine the winner.

Pacing and Interaction

3 Ring Circus has a smooth flow, with turns playing out quickly thanks to streamlined actions. The game naturally builds tension as players balance engaging artists for long-term benefits and performing shows for immediate rewards. Because every performance advances P.T. Barnum’s caravan, the game’s pacing is partially dictated by the players—those who perform frequently can accelerate the game’s progression, forcing others to adjust their strategies accordingly. This leads to an interesting push-and-pull dynamic where players decide whether to optimize their circus or race to get the best performance locations before their opponents.

Since actions are generally short and straightforward, turns move quickly, and a lot of strategic thinking can be done between turns, minimizing downtime. Newer players may need occasional reminders to move Barnum’s caravan or collect rewards after performances, and we even forgot to move the caravan once or twice after multiple playthroughs. 

Interaction in 3 Ring Circus is mostly indirect, but there is still more interaction here than in other tableau games like Wingspan. Players constantly compete for performance locations, racing to claim spaces in small towns and vying for artist requirements in main cities. The game’s design ensures that players are always engaged, whether it’s planning their next move or reacting to their opponent’s choices. While 3 Ring Circus is not a confrontational game, the need to outmaneuver opponents makes it feel like players aren’t just playing solitaire. 

Replayability

3 Ring Circus’ dynamic gameplay and shifting landscape make it highly replayable. Each session presents new challenges as players adapt to different artist combinations. This shifts scoring opportunities and the timing of P.T. Barnum’s movement around the board. The multi-use cards add a nice layer of variety, forcing players to decide between investing in their circus tableau or using cards as currency to hire stronger performers.

The game scales well across different player counts, with the modular board adjusting the number of regions available based on the number of players. This ensures a balanced experience regardless of group size. While some players may find themselves gravitating toward similar strategies, the variability in artist availability and main city requirements prevents any one approach from becoming dominant. Some will dislike how luck may play a role in what cards are available to specific players, but this shouldn’t discourage anyone but hardcore gamers. The ability to explore different combinations of performers and scoring tactics adds to the game’s longevity, which is obviously a good thing. 

Theme and Components

3 Ring Circus does a fantastic job of integrating its theme into gameplay and presentation. Hiring performers and placing them into the three rows of the player board mirrors the structure of a classic three-ring circus. The performances across small towns, medium cities, and main cities provide a sense of progression, as players build up their circus from humble beginnings to grand spectacles. Small-town performances generate income, medium cities cater to specific audience tastes, and main cities require specific acts—mimicking how real circuses would have needed to adapt to different crowds. 

The thematic immersion stumbles slightly in main cities, where performances are reduced to fulfilling numerical act requirements rather than a dynamic showcase. Sometimes these major performances feel a bit mechanical rather than the grand finale they should be.

Visually, the game is stunning. The artwork by Edu Valls is colorful and playful. The color palette pops on both the main board and player boards, making the game grow in beauty as more artists are added to the tableaus. The components are also incredible, with circus-themed meeples, uniquely shaped score markers, and pedestal tokens that enhance the tactile experience. There are even popcorn-shaped victory points. The compact box size, while convenient, is a little hard to close. I appreciate small shelf footprints as much as anyone with a large collection does, but I’d love an extra inch in depth here.

The board looks excellent but is somewhat cluttered, especially in early plays when the iconography might feel overwhelming. Naturally, the iconography becomes intuitive with experience. The busy board is only a problem during the first play, and I wouldn’t trade the eye candy for anything.

3 Ring Circus Is Great For Fans Of…

Fans of tableau-building games like Wingspan and Everdell will enjoy 3 Ring Circus, as it adds enough unique elements to the mechanism to stand out and earn a place on the shelf. Players who appreciate colorful, visually engaging games will find plenty to love in the vibrant circus aesthetic. Whether you’re drawn in by the engaging gameplay, beautiful artwork, or thematic charm, 3 Ring Circus offers a great experience with rewarding strategic depth—once you break through the initial learning curve of the first game or two.