1999 · Exploration
Lost Cities
Players mount archaeological expeditions represented by colored suits of cards, playing cards in ascending order to start and advance each expedition or discarding to suit-specific piles. On a turn a player first plays a card to an expedition or to a discard pile, then draws from the deck or the top of a discard pile. Special handshake cards act as early investments and serve as multipliers for an expedition’s final value. Each expedition begins at −20; numbered cards add their face value, handshakes multiply the subtotal, and an eight-card expedition earns a 20-point bonus. Games are played over multiple matches with expedition scores summed to determine the winner.
- Players
- 2
- Playing time
- 30 min
- Age
- 10+
- Complexity
- 1.5 / 5
About the game
- Design
- Publisher
Expansions
See them in Ludoya
Photos from Ludoya tables
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Where to buy it
Shop prices and second-hand copies, checked every day.
On Ludoya's tables
Full stats in Ludoya- 2,717
- Plays logged
- 683
- Players
- 19m
- Average play
- 358
- In collections
- 21
- On wishlists
6.9/10
from 163 Ludoya reviews
Vic Granell7.0 Very addictive game to play as a couple or online! Good version on Board Game Arena!
Daniel7.0 Ludoteca Mama
Mestremuten6.0 Rating: 3/5 Production value: 2/4 Is the game in my collection/Love to have?: 1/1
Rules questions
Answered from the rulebook by Ludoya's rules assistant.
Do I have to play a card on my turn, or can I pass?
You must first place one card from your hand each turn — either add it to one of your columns (start or extend) or discard it to the matching discard pile — and only then may you draw a card (pages 2–3).
Can I place a card that's lower or equal to the last card in that column?
No — each new card placed in a column must have a higher value than the most recent card you placed in that column (page 3).
Can I play wager (bet) cards after I've already played a number card in that column?
No — wager cards may only be placed at the beginning of a column, and once you have placed a number card in that column you may no longer play wager cards of that color (page 3).
If I discard a card, can I immediately take it back by drawing from that discard pile?
No — when drawing you may choose the top card of any discard pile or the draw pile, but you are not allowed to draw the same card you have just discarded (page 3).
How do wagers and empty-or-wager-only columns score — what happens if I only play wager cards?
Score each column by summing its cards and subtracting 20 expedition costs (no cost if you placed no cards at all); wagers multiply that result (×2/3/4 for 1/2/3 wagers), so a column with only wager(s) (no number cards) has a 0 sum and still incurs the −20 cost which is then multiplied (pages 3–4).
Free, on web, Android and iOS
Play Lost Cities with Ludoya
- Keep it in your collectionTrack your copy and its expansions, lend it to friends, or put it on your wishlist and get told when the price drops.Add it to your collection
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- Settle rules questionsAsk anything about the rules and get an answer from the rulebook, with the page to check it on.Ask the rules assistant
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Game facts (players, playing time, age, credits) from BoardGameGeek.