I love to play a variety of games. It's rare for me to play the same game time after time, as I have so many that I want to play. Some games do break the mold for me, however, and I play them more often. Lost Cities, however, has gone beyond that. It's the first game I own that I think I'm actually going to have to replace because we've played it so much. Why is that? Is it because it's my favorite game? No, but rather so many people (my wife high on the list) are willing to play it with me. (And, there's the small fact that when I lose to my wife, I tend to throw the cards across the room.) Is Lost Cities worth getting? The simple truth is that if you don't currently own Lost Cities, or have it on order, then you need to get it right now. Lost Cities is the best choice for a two-player game you can get – not because it's the ultimate game, but because everyone likes it! Now for the longer answer . First, a short description of game play: A thin board is placed between the two players playing. On it are five spots to put cards of five colors (suits) – red, green, white, blue, and yellow. A sixty-card deck is shuffled, and eight cards are dealt to each player. The rest of the cards are set next to the board, face down, to form the draw pile. The deck is comprised of five suits (colors) that include the numbers two through ten and three "handshake" cards for each color. Game play then takes place over several rounds – number chosen by the players. We almost always play with three rounds. In each round, play is very simple. Players have two choices – play or discard a card. If they discard a card, they play it on the board on top of the matching color space, forming a discard stack of that color. If they play a card, they put it on their side of the board, facing the correct color. Cards may only be played if they are higher than a card previously played by that player. If the highest card showing is a "4", then I can only play a "5" or higher on it. Handshake cards must be played before any numbers are played, and multiple copies may be played on top of each other. Once cards have been played, they may not be taken back or discarded. After playing or discarding a card, the player must draw a card. He can draw the top card from the draw pile, or the top card from one of the colored discard piles. As soon as the last card is drawn from the draw pile, the round immediately ends. Score is then calculated. Each player receives points for each color where they have played a card. If they haven't played any cards of a certain color, then they receive no points for that color. Each player must have "20" or higher total at a color, or they lose points for that color. One handshake doubles the points earned (or lost), two handshakes triples them, and three handshakes quadruple them. The player takes the number they have accumulated at the color (2 +3 + 6 + 8+10 = 29 points). They then subtract 20 from this total, and that is the amount of points (times the handshake modifier) they gain or lose from that color. Examples - I have one handshake and nothing else at blue. I lose 40 points for blue! - I have a "4", "5", "6", "8", and the "10" at yellow. I get 13 points (33-20=13) - I have a "4" and a "10" at white. I lose 6 points, (20-14=6) - I have 3 handshakes, "6", "7", "8", "10" at red. I get 44 points (31-20=11 * 4 = 44). If a player has 8 cards or more in one color, they get a bonus of 20 points. Points are then totaled, and a new round is started. After the last round, points are totaled, and whoever has the highest points wins! Some comments on the game: 1). Components: The tri-folding board isn't really necessary, But it is a nice addition. The board is beautifully illustrated, as are the cards. Each card shows a picture of an expedition, with progression towards the goal. The rules state that you can play the cards according to the pictures, but that numbers were added to make it easier. I don't see why anyone would ever play using the pictures over the numbers. The cards are very large and of good quality (they've been thrown across the room a number of times). The box is exceptional, as all Kosmos (Rio Grande) two-player game boxes are. It's small, beautiful, and holds the cards and board well. If you have no space, you could just take the deck of cards out and carry it around with you – although I'd prefer the board. 2). Rules: The 3 pages of rules are very detailed, considering how simple the game is. A detailed scoring explanation is included with color illustrations. It's very helpful in learning how to score the game. Also included are rules for a four-player game, although two sets of Lost Cities are required for that. I haven't played it with four players, being very satisfied with the two-player game. 3). Counting Cards: The rules state that you can count the cards in the draw pile whenever you want. And believe me, you will. I always count the cards to make sure there is enough time for me to play all the cards that I want to from my hand. I've lost several games because I counted the cards wrong (and didn't place that crucial "10"). This is where card throwing usually occurs. Keep an eye on how many cards are left in the draw pile! 4). Luck and Strategy: Sure, there is a lot of luck in the game. But the strategy balances it out quite nicely. Decision-making is sometimes strained and hard. Do I keep high cards from my opponent in my hand, so that they never get them? But if I do, then I can't keep cards in my hand for my own use. Do I play cards right away, or hold them in my hand as long as I can – keeping my opponent guessing what color I will go for? Do I play on a few colors, or on all of them? Do I go for a lot of points (risky) or just several smaller amounts? People can play the game quite differently. My wife and I play very differently, but we tend to even out in the amount of games that we win. 5). Speed: This game is very quick. A game can be finished very quickly, because the game is easy to teach and play. My wife and I usually polish off a three-round game in less than thirty minutes. It's a great after-dinner game for us. 6). Fun Factor: This game is very fun. The theme is definitely tacked on, but I don't even care. We don't even pretend with the theme – the game is all about colors and numbers. But it's so engrossing and quick, that we find ourselves having a blast with it, even when we lose! So, I have to highly recommend Lost Cities. I like Odin's Ravens and Hera and Zeus better, but when it comes down to a game that anyone (except maybe a hardcore gamer) will play – Lost Cities is your ultimate bet. It's inexpensive, high quality, and fun! And it's a game my wife asks to play! How can it go wrong? Back to Table of Contents -- Game! # 14 To Game! List of Issues To MagWeb Master Magazine List © Copyright 2005 by George Phillies. This article appears in MagWeb.com (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other articles from military history and related magazines are available at http://www.magweb.com