Bluffing

Taj Mahal

Northwest India at the beginning of the 18th century. The rule of the Grand Moguls is waning, and the Maharishis and princes seize the opportunity to take control of the region. By influencing the prominent forces, building magnificent palaces, and ensuring a steady supply of commodities, the princes increase their power until the most successful has won.

The goal of the game is to gain the most influence points. These can be obtained by building palaces and by acquiring commodities. A palace can be built after securing the support of the Vizier, the General, the Monk, the Princess, or the Grand Mogul. Commodities are gained by seizing control of a region or by retrieving them on a space where a palace has just been built.

There are twelve turns with an auction for the region control and the support of the Vizier, General, Monk, Princess, and Grand Mogul, each represented by a different symbol. Players use cards in four colors to bid for the various prizes, and each player may only play one color in any given turn. During your turn you can either increase your bid by playing more cards or withdraw. When you do, you gain the reward for every symbol you have the majority of. You place palaces, gain region tiles, and increase your score accordingly. There are bonus points for connecting palaces over several regions on the map.After the final area on the board is auctioned, the player with the highest point total wins the game.

This game is #3 in the Alea big box series.

Dead Man's Treasure

Who will lift the most valuable treasure chests?

Generations of seafarers have spent their time searching for the fabled treasure, but none have managed to find it. But now Flint's old chart has turned up, on which the hiding places are marked. Multiple pirate ships simultaneously reach the island group in which the treasure chests are hidden. But the restless ghost of Flint is guarding the treasure. Who will be successful and recover the most valuable treasure chest?

Lost Legacy: Second Chronicle – Vorpal Sword & Whitegold Spire

In the distant past, a starship from a faraway world appeared in the sky. Damaged in battle, the craft broke apart and traced lines of fire across the horizon. These falling stars crashed to the surface, and in the ages to come, became enshrined in legends as the Lost Legacy. Discover where the Lost Legacy can be found and win the game!

Lost Legacy: Second Chronicle contains two sets of game cards: Vorpal Sword and Whitegold Spire. Each set can be played independently or mixed together with other sets to create a unique custom set.

As for how to play, Lost Legacy is a game of risk, deduction, and luck for 2–4 players. You start the game with one card in hand from a deck of sixteen cards. On a turn, you do the following:

Draw: Draw the top card from the deck and add it to your hand.
Play: Choose one of the two cards in hand to play and place it face up in front of you.
Effect: Carry out the played card's effect, after which the card is considered as discarded.
End: Throughout gameplay you're trying to eliminate other players or uncover the location of the "Lost Legacy" card; this card might also be in the "Ruins", a location that holds one card at the start of the game and possibly acquires more cards during play. When someone discovers the Lost Legacy, the game ends, everyone tallies the value of the cards they've played and the card left in hand, and whoever has the highest total wins.

By combining different Lost Legacy sets (while keeping only a single Lost Legacy card in play), up to six players can compete at the same time.

King Up!

From the publisher:

With the announcement of the King's retirement, the pirouette for succession begins! All of his subjects from cobbler to cook, painter to paladin, debutante to duchess bustle about the castle in preparation for the succession. One of your favorites can attain the throne. But, beware! It will require clever maneuvering and selective positioning to be in the right place at the right time to achieve the crown!

From the box:

The King has retired! Paladins, cooks, painters and all the other subjects in the kingdom bustle about for the succession. Play your cards right and bring your favorite to the throne!

From the rules:

Long live the king! A bluff and deduction game for 3-6 players, age 8 and up. The enlightened monarch Vladimir Miritiro, tired of reigning, has decided to choose his successor among his subjects. The players are helping him in this decision by advising their favorites and trying to crown one of them as the new king.

Coup: Reformation

Coup: Reformation, an expansion for the original version of Coup: City State from La Mame Games, adds new cards to the game and rules for factions and team play that increases tension in the early stages for four or more players and (thanks to 15 additional character cards) allows Coup to be better played with up to ten players.

With Coup: Reformation, each player must declare himself either Catholic (Loyalist in the second edition) or Protestant (Resistance) and can target only members of the other faction. Conversion is possible, however, for yourself or for another player by paying a charitable donation to the Almshouse (Treasury). Like all factions, once you have eliminated or converted the other group, you just descend into in-fighting, so there's still only one winner and no second place.

Coup: Reformation adds a new fluid team dynamic to Coup as players jostle with their allegiance to take advantage or seek protection in the early stages of the game.