caylus magna carta

Caylus Magna Carta is a card game, based on the very successful board game Caylus. As in the board game, you have to work on building a castle and earn as many victory points as possible during this process to finally win the game.

The design and quality of the cards and cubes is more than satisfactory and fits to the topic.

The gameplay itself is very similar to Caylus, although a few, rather heavy mechanisms haven't been adopted. At the beginning each players gets some money, a couple of workers and three cards representing buildings. The goal is to build buildings along a road, in which you can place your workers (costs money) to get resource cubes or money to again be able to build another buildings (also prestige buildings) and finally gain pieces for completing the castle. When the castle has been finished, the game is over. As done in Caylus you have to think over certain different opportunities and strategies to use your ressources as efficiently as possible - and that is a lot of fun.

Despite the fact that more often than not I'm doubtfully about card based versions of great board games, I have to admit that Caylus Magna Carta has been really well done. It's as exciting and appealing as Caylus, but doesn't take as long as the original game and is a bit lighter. A game usually doesn't take more than 45 or 60 minutes and therefor it's very likely that it will be played really a lot.

For lovers of Caylus and others, a simpler way to play this great game. The basic theme remains unchanged, but the driving force is the play of cards. The game also plays faster for those who like shorter games. And, the game contains a special bonus card in this edition!

2-5 players, 45-60 min
author: william attia
publisher (europe): ystari / huch and friends
publisher (usa): rio grande games
category: card game, economic, medieval

buy the game online @ cosimshop.de or coolstuffinc.com

caylus magna carta @ boardgamegeek.com
rules can be downloaded here!