Overview
At a glance
Is this game right for my group?
ABG editorial scores on a 1–5 scale.
Harder to teach
High replayability
Highly interactive
Scales well
Deep strategy
How it plays
How does it play?
In Costa Ruana you are a tribal chief. Send your natives to nearby islands to get your hands on more pirate treasure than your rivals.
Core mechanisms
Key systems that shape the decisions players make.
Read the full game description
In Costa Ruana you are a tribal chief. Send your natives to nearby islands to get your hands on more pirate treasure than your rivals. If you become Shaman, your decisions affect events, so your rivals will try to influence you by fair means or foul... Your aim is to score the most points by having treasures in your hut and natives in your reserve at the end of the fifth round. Treasures are the key: Each round you collect one from each island on which your tribe has a majority (or a minority, if other tribes are tied there). Cards let you move treasures, place natives on islands, bring them home, or move them between islands. In each round everyone plays one card face up in front of ANY player (including themselves), followed by another card, face down (also in front of anyone). Lastly, you may place one native on any played card — even a hidden card played by an opponent, if you are very bold! — to copy its effect for yourself. The background to each card is one of four colors, but in each round only cards of two colors will be resolved, affecting the players in front of whom they are played. The Shaman determines these colors by turning over one of two condition cards. If you are the Shaman, use your power to best effect; otherwise try to outguess the others or influence the Shaman. Remember the number of treasures in other players' huts and manage your natives carefully – a few points can make the difference! Scheming, double-guessing, and bluffing: Welcome to Costa Ruana!