Quetzal (2020) Board Game – Board Game Guys

Quetzal is a board game released in 2020 by Gigamic. Designed by Alexandre Garcia and illustrated by Nastya Lehn, the game falls into the Adventure and Exploration category. With a mix of auction/bidding, worker placement, and set collection mechanics, Quetzal aims to provide players with an engaging and strategic experience.

Game Components of Quetzal

Meeple dice: Each meeple has a white and black side, representing archaeologists and adventurers, respectively. They can also land sideways, allowing for dual use.

Game board: Features various locations such as the Temple, Temple Surroundings, Black Market, Camp, and Harbor Master’s Office.

Artifact cards: Representing items to be collected and delivered for points.

Upgrade tiles: Provide improvements and bonuses throughout the game.

Coins: Used for bidding and accessing certain locations.

Character tiles: Each player has a unique character tile.

Discovery and Score tracks: To track progress and points.

How To Setup Quetzal

To set up Quetzal, each player selects a color and takes the corresponding wooden pieces and Character tile. Players start with some cash and place their markers on the Score and Discovery tracks. The Artifact cards are shuffled and placed into their respective locations on the board. The Round marker is set to the first round, and Upgrade tiles are shuffled and placed on the board. The starting player is selected and given the First Player marker.

Gameplay Mechanics and Game Objective

Worker Placement: Players roll their meeples to determine their actions for the turn. Each meeple can be used as either an archaeologist or adventurer based on its landing position.

Bidding Mechanism: Players bid using their meeples to access lucrative spots on the board, which reward artifact cards and bonuses.

Artifact Collection: Players collect artifact cards and deliver them in sets to earn victory points. Delivering sets of the same type of artifact maximizes points.

Upgrade System: Players can acquire Upgrade tiles to gain money, discounts, or other bonuses.

Game Objective: The objective is to accumulate the most victory points by collecting and delivering artifact cards over five rounds.

Player Experience

Quetzal offers a fun and straightforward gameplay experience. Each turn is quick, and the game is easy to learn and play. However, the repetitive nature of the gameplay, with minimal progression from round to round, might make it feel a bit monotonous. The game scales well with different player counts, and the inclusion of an automated player at lower counts maintains the competitive aspect.

Pros

Easy to Play: Simple rules and quick turns make it accessible to a wide audience.

Fun as a Palate-Cleanser: Great for playing between heavier games due to its light and breezy nature.

Scalability: Works well with various player counts, including an automated player for lower counts.

Cons

Repetitive Gameplay: The game lacks progression and escalation from turn to turn, making it feel repetitive.

Limited Strategic Depth: The strategy is fairly obvious, and there are no complex decisions or long-term planning required.

Personal Thoughts on Quetzal

Quetzal is ideal for families or casual gamers looking for a light, enjoyable experience. It is not suited for those seeking deep strategic gameplay or complexity. The game’s unique meeple dice mechanic, while novel, becomes less exciting after the initial rounds. However, it remains a solid choice for a fun, quick game night or as a introduction to worker placement games.

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