The Search for El Dorado

In the world of board games, few can match the thrill of a search for a lost city. 'The Quest for El Dorado' is a jewel among board games, designed by the famous game author Reiner Knizia and published by 999 Games. The game takes players on an adventurous journey through dense jungle, winding rivers and dangerous obstacles in their quest to reach the legendary golden city of El Dorado. With its unique game mechanics and tactical decision-making, this game provides an immersive experience that will keep players coming back for more.

The Basic Game

In 'The Quest for El Dorado', players take on the role of adventurers in search of the mythical city of El Dorado. The game board shows a map with various terrain types, including forest, mountains, waterways and plains. Each player has their own set of cards that correspond to these terrain types, and these cards are used to propel their expedition. The most intriguing aspect of the game is the deckbuilding mechanics employed. Players start with a small deck of cards, consisting of terrain types and a number of action cards. These cards are used to move around the game board. However, during the game, players can improve their deck by adding better cards. This creates a compelling balance between optimizing the deck for efficiency and responding to the ever-changing conditions on the board. The aim of the game is to be the first to reach the city of El Dorado by cleverly deploying cards and overcoming challenging obstacles. As players continue their expedition, they must make choices between choosing the shortest route, collecting valuable treasures, and avoiding obstacles that could slow their progress. These decisions provide constant tension and strategic depth, constantly challenging players to employ their best tactics.

New Adventures Await

To further enrich and deepen the experience of 'The Quest for El Dorado', 999 Games has released several expansions that add new elements and dimensions to the game. These expansions offer players new challenges, maps and ways to continue their adventure. Let's take a look at some of these exciting additions:

Heroes & Demons Expansion

This expansion introduces a new dynamic to the game by adding heroes and demons to the playing field. Players can now choose from several heroes with unique abilities that influence their expedition. On the other hand, demons bring obstacles that players must overcome. This expansion adds an extra layer of strategy, where players must decide which hero best suits their playstyle and how to avoid or defeat demons.

Dangers & Muisca

New adventures await you in the search for El Dorado! Along the way you will encounter new areas with dangerous terrain, such as rivers with rapids, swamps with crocodiles and mountains with risk zones. You also now have to visit temples to find the artifacts that allow you to open the gate to El Dorado. But there is also help. The mysterious Muisca tribe is ready to help you in the quest for the City of Gold. The Quest for El Dorado: Dangers and Muisca is a new expansion consisting of two modules. The “Hazards” module introduces new terrain tiles. These tiles are littered with danger zones where you are not allowed to end your turn. This module also contains the new terrain type swamps, which you can only walk through carefully and card by card because of crocodiles. The “Muisca” module introduces the new Muisca cards. You can buy these cards at the market tableau and work just like the other cards, with one difference. Instead of playing the card as normal, you can also place it in front of you. This way you keep the Muisca card and can use it in the next turn, which gives many more tactical possibilities. Both modules can be played separately or with other expansions. This provides plenty of variety for fans of The Search for El Dorado!

Dragons, Treasures & Mysteries

New adventures await you in the search for El Dorado! Along the way you will encounter unknown misty valleys, where many surprises await you. In the meantime, watch out for suddenly appearing fire-breathing dragons that will slow you down, and pick up valuable treasures with your metal detector. The Quest for El Dorado: Dragons, Treasures & Mysteries is a new expansion consisting of three modules. The “Dragons” module introduces dragons. At the start of the game they sleep, but if a playing piece moves to the space with a dragon or an adjacent space, it must stop there and the dragon wakes up. From that moment on, players can move the dragon instead of their own playing piece. This is important, because you are not allowed to move a playing piece that is in the immediate vicinity of a dragon! The “Treasure” module introduces treasure tokens. You can pick it up if you stand next to it and play a metal detector or remove the requested cards from the game. If you have collected 4 treasure tokens, this counts as reaching El Dorado. You can also use a treasure token to move to an adjacent space twice in succession without having to meet the conditions on those spaces. The “Mysteries” module introduces mysterious valley tiles. These are placed face down on the playing field at the start of the game, but are turned over as soon as a player ends up with his playing piece on an adjacent field. From that moment on, players may enter the valley tile in the usual way. The valley tiles can also be used as normal terrain tiles, but then the surprise effect is gone. All three modules can be played individually or with other expansions. This provides plenty of variety for fans of The Search for El Dorado!

An Adventurous Journey in Board Game Form

'The Quest for El Dorado' and its expansions provide a rich and in-depth gaming experience that will captivate new and experienced players alike. With its innovative deckbuilding mechanics, strategic decision-making and several expansions to vary the gameplay, this game guarantees hours of entertainment and challenge. Whether you're an avid board game enthusiast or just starting your board game journey, 'The Quest for El Dorado' will take you on a journey full of excitement, adventure and strategy. As you optimize your deck, overcome obstacles and explore new terrains, you'll find that the quest for El Dorado never truly ends. Each game offers new possibilities and challenges, keeping you coming back to the table for another round of this immersive and exciting board game adventure.