Civilization

Philippe Keyaerts scored gold with Small World, a new version of his Vinci that was released by Days of Wonder in 2009 to great acclaim and numerous awards. With Olympos, coming from French publisher Ystari Games, Keyaerts has another go at the simplified civilization game. The playing time for Olympos is only 60-90 minutes for 3-5 players, but says Ystari's Cyril Demaegd, "Even if it's a short game, it's a gamer's game."

Players take actions based on their position on a time track, along the lines of Peter Prinz' Thebes. (Says Demaegd, "This is mainly a coincidence because Philippe designed this game years ago.") By spending time, players take actions, with the choices being expansion or development. Expanding brings new settlers onto the game board, which depicts Greece and Atlantis, which lets you conquer territories and thereby acquire resources.

Development takes place on the game's discovery board, with players either buying new scientific discoveries – such as medicine or phalanxes – or building architectural wonders. Each discovery brings you new powers, such as an upgrade in military strength due to the phalanx, and each wonder earns you points.

A player's piety is measured by discoveries, and the most pious player might be rewarded during the game by one of the nine gods included. Similarly, the less pious players might be punished by those same gods.

The replayability of Olympos is huge, says Demaegd, as the discovery board and gods in play will be different each game, not to mention the territories you're able to conquer.

An official expansion to Glenn Drover's Empires: The Age of Discovery, the Builder Expansion contains:

1) A NEW SPECIALIST: THE BUILDER
Abilities:
a) When placed on the colonist dock and sent to the New World it will increase the VP's scored for the region: +4 VP/Builder (of any color) for 1st place; +2 VP/Builder for second place. (The idea is that the colony is much more developed with cities and infrastructure).
b) When placed in the Capital Building track, the player pays $5 less.

The Builder may be acquired via new Capital Buildings or when a player places a colonist on the 5th spot (Builder is Free, other specialists cost 5)

2) 20 NEW CAPITAL BUILDINGS
These include some "buildings" that cost zero, but offer a one-time instant effect such as $7, 2 free specialists, and 2 free trade goods. So even if a player is short on cash, a building action is available.

3) A RULES SHEET with the new Builder Rules, Capital Buildings, and even special rules for a historical start (Each Nation has a special ability and one or two Capital Buildings to start the game). The idea is that the Spanish will feel like the Spanish (Conquistadors, etc.), The English will feel like the English, the Dutch like the Dutch, etc.

4) The MINT and OVERPOPULATION will, indeed be a part of the new expansion.

5) Expands the game to 6 players with a Complete set of purple colonists

Pacal, king of the Maya city Palenque, is trying to control all of the Yucatan's resources. As kings of other cities, his opponents have their own ideas. By using your influence to control resources in Kingdoms across the Yucatan, you can establish yourself as the greatest king of the Maya. Build Temples. Alter borders. Control resources.

During the game, players represent the kings who oppose Pacal and use the ten different resource cards and spend action points to expand their empires, dominate the 14 Yucatan kingdoms through their control markers, exchange the opponents control markers, reserve control markers and/or build Temples, scoring every time a Score Card is played by any player.

The player who has amassed the greatest amount of control over the Yucatan Peninsula in each of the scoring rounds is the winner.

A fascinating game for dominance set in the distant past when all the world's land masses were joined in a single super-continent: Pangea. This unique game promotes battle and migration as the world breaks into pieces. The player-controlled species advance and evolve based on the in-game action. Featuring satisfying depth and near limitless possibilities, you will discover new facets to game-play each time you join in the Conquest of Pangea.

In 1536 Pedro de Mendoza founded the city of Buenos Aires along the river Rio de la Plata. After 5 years the settlers were forced to leave the city, exhausted by the difficulties and by the continuous attacks of the indigenous Querandies. The city was destroyed by the natives some weeks after.

Almost fifty years later Juan de Garay leads a new expedition and founds a new city. As before, resources are low and the natives are angry!
But not only that: now the Corsairs paid by the English Crown threaten the new Spanish settlement!

Rio de la Plata is a strategy game where players represent the chiefs of the families of Spanish settlers of Buenos Aires. They must work together to defend and develop the city, but also look to gain sufficient prestige for themselves to take the most important political offices. At the end only one will be the new Governor! Will it be you?

First game needs about 3-4 hours.
Normal game needs about 150 minutes (4 players).

Essen 2010 Release.