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?
A game of early California, from the Spanish explorers to the Gold Rush. Players take turns exploring and settling California, developing local industries.
Core mechanisms
Key systems that shape the decisions players make.
Open Drafting
Select cards or items from a shared face-up display.
Modular Board
Build the play area from interchangeable sections that vary between games.
Network and Route Building
Create connected routes that improve reach, delivery, control, or scoring.
Tile Placement
Place tiles to build a shared or personal spatial arrangement.
Trading
Exchange resources, assets, or promises with other players.
Read the full game description
A game of early California, from the Spanish explorers to the Gold Rush. Players take turns exploring and settling California, developing local industries. The game starts with the earliest explorers, like Cabrillo and de Anza. The early pioneers make a living shipping goods (like hides) overseas. Later on, California becomes settled enough to develop markets of its own. Presidios help defend against danger and establish the governing power's control over the region. Missions convert the California Indians into Spanish settlements. El Camino Real is built, connecting the settlements of California together.