Yaxha

• Designer: Baptiste Vaiana
• Publisher: Helvetiq
• Players: 2-4
• Age: 8+
• Time: 20 min
• Amazon affiliate link: https://amzn.to/4eDe7W1 
• Played with review copy provided by publisher

Recreate the Mayan pyramids on your tabletop in Yaxha, three blocks at a time.

To set up, place as many market tiles on the table as the number of players, and give each player a hand of cards that match the color of the market tiles. Deal each player a turn order card at random, then place three bonus cards on the table.

In each of the ten rounds, fill all market tiles by drawing three blocks at a time from the bag. Blocks come in five colors. All players simultaneously choose and reveal a card showing a market tile. If all players chose different market tiles, everyone takes the blocks from their chosen tile; if not, the tied player with the lowest turn order card takes their chosen blocks, while other tied players choose from what’s left unclaimed, after which the tied players exchange turn order cards.

Use the blocks to create a pyramid bit by bit. All blocks must touch one another as you build. The bottom layer of the pyramid will be four blocks wide and long, and once you have four blocks in a 2×2 arrangement, you can place a block on top of these four blocks — but only if it’s touching a block of the same color, whether below it or next to it. If you can’t place a block, you must discard it. If you don’t discard anything, you’ll end up with a four-level pyramid of thirty blocks.

At the end of the game, you score points for the largest visible group in your pyramid of each color – when looking down from above. (Some blocks might be hidden, and they don’t score.) In addition, for each bonus card that you satisfy — for example, having the most yellow blocks, having all five colors visible on the second layer of your pyramid, having the second largest group of blocks regardless of color — you score 5 points. Whoever has the highest score wins. There is no tiebreaker

My thoughts on the game

I have generally liked Helvetiq games for family events and lighter gaming.  In their own words: “We like to come up with game titles that are easy to understand, quick to play, but not so easy to win!   Our artwork is uncluttered and make our games look good on a coffee table.
With these two features set, our range is wide. Kids games, family games, party games, cards games, wooden games, cooperative games, strategic games, quiz games, dexterity games, deduction games, games about Switzerland, Belgium and the USA …its a cosmos of games you can find here!”

Yaxha is a great example of a game that meets these two goals.  Here, the wooden blocks end up forming a visually attractive pyramid on each player board.  The rules are quite simple, you can show someone how to play the game in only a few minutes – usually a set up example turn is all that is needed to play.  The tiebreaker switching thing can be complicated, but a newbie doesn’t need to necessarily know the details – the person teaching the game can take care of the switching.

The strategy is deeper than it looks.  The main goal is likely to get the largest group of a contiguous color as possible.  However, the goal cards also give you a few other things to think about when choosing your blocks and where to place them.  Additionally, the game is always a bit unpredictable as you can often end up with an unexpected group of blocks if you do not have high enough priorities on a tie…  And then, you have to figure out how to make the best of things.  Finally, the rules on building upwards can be limiting.  As you have to build on a slot touching a block of the same color, you have to always be monitoring your situation as you near the top of your pyramid.

The games are quick with only ten rounds of simultaneous card choice and then a short bit of time to place the blocks.  I’d be surprised if this game ever goes past 30 minutes.  Yaxha will probably come back out for the holidays as I think it’ll be perfect for that sort of situation.

Amazon affiliate link: https://amzn.to/4eDe7W1 

Ratings from the Opinionated Gamers

• I love it!
• I like it. Dale Y
• Neutral.
• Not for me…