Originally released in 2000, Cartagena resembles a more-advanced “gamer” version of Candy Land, but with pirates jostling their way to the end of the path as they try to escape from a fortress prison and reach their sloop. Playing a card allows a player to advance one of their pirates to the next matching space. But before a player can draw more cards, they must move a pirate backwards, away from the goal.
Cartagena, 2nd Edition includes the original version of the game, as well as the components required to play the 2006 Cartagena 2: The Pirate’s Nest expansion, in which the pirates must cross Tortuga after they escape to the sloop.
In addition, the game features eight double-sided boards that increase play variability and allow players to customize the length of the game. The new “Morgan” and “Filibuster” variants offer new ways to draw cards, while the “Black Magic Woman” adds special card effects based on the symbols on the cards.
Cartagena, 2nd Edition is intended for 2 to 5 players, ages 13 and up, and takes less than an hour to play. MSRP is $34.95.
Last month, Rio Grande released a new expansion for Temporum (see “Vaccarino’s ‘Temporum’ Heads for ‘Alternate Realities’”) and the train game Orient Express (see “Rio Grande Rides the ‘Orient Express’”).