By: Ravensburger Players: 2-4 Ages: 10+ Time: 30-60 mins
Deep in the dense jungles of South America lies El Dorado, the lost city of gold, where unlimited gold, jewels, and artifacts await anyone who can find it.
Take on the role of a brave expedition leader, assemble your brave team, and acquire valuable equipment to navigate the perils of the jungle.
Whoever can cross the border into the golden city first wins the game and all the treasure within its walls.
What Is The Quest For El Dorado Board Game?
El Dorado is a deck-building board game designed by Reiner Knizia and published by Ravensburger in 2017. It was well received and gained positive reviews all around upon its release. It went on to be nominated for various international awards, including the Spiel des Jahres (Game of the Year award) the same year it was released, and won various family Game of the Year awards. There have been several expansions since its release that rules and components to the game for a fresh and exciting challenge.
The Quest for El Dorado board game puts players in the shoes of brave explorers venturing through the jungles of South America, with the goal of uncovering the city of El Dorado and the treasures within. The game is played on a modular board with double-sided tiles mapped out in hexagons that represent the different types of terrain that the players’ exploring party must traverse. These can be arranged in a number of ways, providing a new challenge each time the game is played. The documents in the game give many variations to choose from. Players will then use cards from a deck they’ve constructed to dictate the actions they’ll take in trying to reach the city and preventing their rivals from getting there first.
El Dorado Board Game Set-Up
El Dorado comes with masses of replay value and no two games are ever alike. As mentioned above, the game comes with plenty of double-sided game tiles which can be arranged in dozens of different ways. The assembly guide in the game offers plenty of suggestions but players can also create their own set-up if they wish. Each player receives a playing piece and several cards that form their deck. These cards represent the different types of explorers that have joined their party and will be played throughout the game to aid them in traversing the jungle. Lastly, players create the marketplace by taking the remaining types of cards and creating decks from them that can be purchased later. Having the right equipment, such as the Scout, the Photographer, or the Prop Plane, is crucial to navigating the wilderness and winning the race to El Dorado.
How To Play The Quest For El Dorado Board Game:
Players start their game with a small deck of eight cards and a hand of four. A player’s turn is made up of three stages:
Play cards
Discard played cards
Drawing cards
When a player starts their turn they can play as many cards as they wish from their hand. These cards will allow players to move their playing piece and/or purchase a new card for their deck. Each turn requires a new strategy to navigate the perilous paths of the jungle.
Each landscape tile is made up of a different color that represents the different kinds of terrain in the jungle. Additionally, each hex space has a number of symbols that indicate how difficult it is to traverse that particular area. Players may move through adjacent spaces as long as they play a card that matches the color of the space and has a power value greater than or equal to the number of symbols in that space. Ie. If a player uses a scout with a power of 2, they can move through two green spaces as long as they both have a single machete on them (or one space if it has two symbols). Occasionally players will encounter blockades that prevent their access to surrounding areas. If a player can use their cards to meet the power requirement, they can remove (and keep) the blockade and then enter the new area.
After moving, players can purchase one card from the market. Unless a card has a value on the face of it, each card is worth one-half a coin. Players can use as many cards as they want to purchase any of the available cards in the market. This gets placed in their discard pile initially but will get reshuffled into their deck later. More useful cards will become available later in the game, some of which can only be used once, but these will help to unlock chains that will allow players to move further and do more in the game’s later stages.
Once all card actions have been resolved, these go into the player’s discard pile. The player can keep any cards not played from their hand for their next turn, or discard these as well. They will then draw cards from their deck until they have a hand of four cards once again. When a player runs out of draw cards, they shuffle their discard pile to form a new deck.
Gameplay will continue in this fashion with each player playing cards, moving and expanding their decks until they reach one of the three finishing spaces. Once a player makes their way there, everyone else has one final turn to reach these spaces, otherwise the player that reaches El Dorado first is the winner. In the event of a tie, the player who has collected the most blockades is the winner.
Although each player’s turn only consists of a few actions, the strength of a player’s deck will have a big impact on how much they can do each turn, and how quickly they can reach El Dorado. As more powerful cards are unlocked and a player’s deck grows, they will be able to utilize cards in such a way that they can move long distances over various kinds of terrain, or draw extra cards to help them during their turn. Finding these cards and using them effectively is where the strategy of the game comes in and makes the experience a bit more competitive.
When players are ready, there are several expansions on offer that will provide a wide variety of changes to the game. Some will add extra tiles for players to use, others new dangers like crocodiles, fog, and rapids. There is even an expansion that can be played with the original game or as a standalone, where players actually venture inside and explore the golden city, seeking out treasure and avoiding danger. Even though there is a lot of replay value in the base game, these expansions will keep players occupied for a very long time!
We recommend this game as one of our Best Games for 9-Year-Olds if you want more recommendations in this complexity range.
Summary
Endless replayability
Simple rules
Light strategy
Fun for most ages
Expansions to try
Unlimited treasure waits
Final Verdict: Head to the Jungle of South America
The Quest for El Dorado Board Game is a fun game that blends adventure, deck building, and strategy into one. The rules have been kept minimal, with the main focus on creating a strong deck and planning out the best route to travel, so it’s an easy game to pick up and most ages should enjoy it. Using the cards in a deck properly is key and will be more likely to assure a player victory. It offers limitless replay value with the multi-sided tiles that can be connected in many ways, and the expansions that add even more to the game so it’s certainly something you can come back to again and again. El Dorado Board Game offers rewarding riches, so there is definitely something for everybody in this adventure game!
If You Liked This, try another deck-building board game:
When you’ve made your way back out of the jungle and are ready to try something else, here are some similar games we’re sure you’ll enjoy :
Check out our complete list of the best deck-building games.
Forbidden Island: Work together to find 4 hidden treasures to escape from a mysterious island before it sinks to the ocean bottom. Each player has a specific role to play and must use their skills to their fullest to find the treasures and succeed.
Smash Up: Create a deck by mashing up two smaller decks and creating zany combos of cards. Use your zombie robots or pirate kittens to claim bases and score enough points to win.
Clank!: Work your way through a dungeon whilst trying to make as little noise as possible, in the deck-building board game. Use an ever-expanding deck of cards to dictate your actions and make your way deeper into the dungeon’s depths to pilfer as much treasure as possible before waking the dragon within.
Star Realms: A deck-building game in space where various starships battle it out to try and destroy star bases. Everything needed is contained within the game and you’ll unlock more powerful ships as the game progresses.
Cascadia: A tile and token drafting game set in the Pacific Northwest. Players try to create the perfect landscape full of diverse wildlife and score big by making patterns from the animal tokens and ‘corridors’ of matching landscape tiles.
FAQ
Q: How many players can participate in The Quest for El Dorado?
A: The Quest for El Dorado is designed for 2 to 4 players.
Q: How long does it take to play a game?
A: A typical game of The Quest for El Dorado takes about 45-60 minutes to complete, depending on the number of players and their familiarity with the game.
Q: What age group is the game suitable for?
A: The Quest for El Dorado is recommended for players aged 10 and up due to its strategic elements and the need for planning and decision-making.
Q: Do I need to purchase the expansions to enjoy the game?
A: No, the base game offers plenty of replay value on its own. However, the expansions add new elements and challenges that can enhance your gameplay experience by introducing valuable equipment and other strategic options.
Q: Can The Quest for El Dorado be played solo?
A: While the game is primarily designed for multiple players, some players have created solo variants by using specific rules and adjustments. However, these are fan-made and not officially supported by the game designers.
Q: Is there a lot of luck involved in the game?
A: While there is a degree of luck in drawing cards, strategic planning and efficient deck-building play significant roles in achieving success in The Quest for El Dorado.
Q: Are the rules complicated?
A: The basic rules of The Quest for El Dorado are straightforward and easy to learn, making it accessible for new players. The complexity comes from the strategic decisions you make during the game.
Q: How do the tiles work in the game?
A: The game board consists of modular tiles that are used to create the map of the jungle leading toEl Dorado. These tiles are double-sided and can be arranged in many configurations, providing a different challenge each time you play.
Q: What is the main objective of the game?
A: The main objective of The Quest for El Dorado is to be the first player to reach the legendary city of El Dorado by strategically using and expanding your deck of cards to navigate the jungle terrain.