Teotihuacan: City of Gods

Board Game Geek Reviews

1. alfonzos

   This game has a multitude of set up variations and uses a rondel to give the players plenty of options. I found the game a lot of work but I can the game's attraction.

2. 4 out of 10

   Agyar

   The interesting thing about Teotihuacan is that I hate it. Tom Holland's words in his blog post 'Understanding the Euro Games' have never felt more pertinent. The puzzle created by positioning and sequencing your dice around the rondel is a redeeming nugget in an otherwise bland soup of euro game mush. There is nothing particularly wrong with the game, but it could certainly use some soul.

3. 7 out of 10

   Apple Paul

   For gamers who liked Tzolkin and Yokohama with its "more markers on a spot give you better benefits" mechanic, you will likely enjoy this game which presents almost epic levels of, oh yeah, solve this puzzle based upon the current game state. In this game, your workers are dice that you move around a circular perimeter of action spaces. First, you choose which of your three dices to move, then move it from 1 to 3 spaces to a new space. On that space, you have essentially three options, one, you can collect cocoa (interestingly, the basic food resource in the game) depending upon the number of other players dice that are already on that spot. Alternatively, you can lock your dice into the corner of that spot, and obtain a one time benefit, or set collection piece. Alternatively, you can pay cocoa equal to the number of players already on that spot, and take the main action. The main action, for example resource gathering, or resource conversion into buildings, pyramid tiles, or permanent upgrades to your game play abilities, is typically enhanced depending upon the number showing on your dice, and the quantities of your dice on that spot. Once you take that main action, you can then upgrade the pips , turn the number "up" one, on one or more of your dices there, thereby creating more powerful dice for future actions. Eventually, when a dice of yours reaches the number "6," it "ascends," thereby earning you special bonuses, and is turned back to a "1" and starts again on the palace spot. The heart of the game, undoubtedly, is the collective effort to build the pyramid in the middle of the board (reminding me of a souped up version of building the castle in Caylus), and one certainly cannot win the game without paying close attention to, and gaming, the god tracks, see Tzolkin for references on how to do this! All of this adds up to a very good euro gaming challenge. Yet, for me, the game is not quite great, and not quite a lot of fun. Moving dice around a board should be fun I guess, but I found the actual exercise, a bit dry and themeless. In fact, the whole game, including the art, felt that way. So, a worthy design for me, but strangely underwhelming in some key areas like fun factor and theme.