This week in EDL 290T, our class had a Free Play week. I joined a group that decided to play Incan Gold. Incan Gold is a card game where players dole out treasure gems as they explore an Incan Temple, with the option to leave the temple at any time. If multiple players leave the temple at the same time, they must split any treasure in the game. If the players draw two of the same type of Hazard Cards, the treasure of any players still in the round must return to the bank and the round ends. The player with the most treasure collected after five rounds wins.

Some of the enjoyment that I get from games based on risk-taking like Incan Gold is that I get to do “risky” things like gamble on treasure, but there’s not real life consequences from doing so. I’m also a fan of games where I can chat with the other players while playing, which I got to do with my breakout room group while we discussed if we’d move through the temple or back out. This was a nice break from normal gaming for me since I was familiar with the game and I got to have some time to be social as well.

I’d recommend the game to anyone who enjoys risk-taking but isn’t super-competitive; Incan Gold can be competitive with the right group but was pretty laid-back for the most part when I played it. The gameplay is straightforward, so it’s appropriate for a variety of comfort levels with tabletop gameplay. Lastly, Incan Gold is a great game for people who want to play a game but don’t have a long time to play; a full game with four people takes about half an hour.