Mahé is not only a very popular tourist destination, it is also a place where turtles lay their eggs. That's what this game is all about.
Game material
- 1 double-sided game board (day and night)
- 7 turtle figures
- 3 dice
- 24 playing cards (values 1-6)
What is it about?
In Mahé you play a turtle and try to lay the most eggs. For this you have to circumnavigate the island once and have some luck with the face-up opportunity cards. These determine the number of eggs that you can lay in the current round.
Construction
Decide on a game board side; there are no gameplay differences here. Each person gets a turtle and the deck of cards is shuffled and placed face down on the 7 field on the island. The top four cards are cut and removed from the game. Then you turn over the top card. During the course of the game, the top card is always visible.
How is it played?
You play in turn and start with a dice. You can roll a maximum of three dice in a row. However, if the sum of the dice is more than 7, your turtle is returned to the raft. If the sum is less than or equal to 7, you can move your turtle. The sum of the dice is then multiplied by the number of dice. Sounds complicated, but it isn't at all. If you roll a 5 with two dice, you move 10 spaces. If you roll a 3 with 6 dice, you move 18 spaces. If you roll an 2 with 8 dice, you move directly onto the raft.
Now a few special features: Whenever you come to the field with the 21 or cross it, you take the top card from the stack and place it face down with you. Then the next card is turned over, which goes to the next person who reaches square 21. Depending on how good the open card is, you can use tactics and, if necessary, let someone else take the lead.
If you move your turtle to a space where there is already a turtle, simply place it on top of the others. This is particularly useful, because if the bottom turtle moves, you automatically move with it. If the bottom turtle moves, the top turtle can decide whether the person should also roll the second or third die. If that weren't enough, only the top turtle gets a card when a turtle tower circles the island.
The game continues until the deck of cards is empty. The next turtle that circles the island is placed on the empty 7 space on the island and gets 7 bonus points.
game for two
If you play in pairs, each person plays two turtles. Then the game goes a little faster and the chance of stacking turtles increases a little.
Each person then performs two moves in a row (one for each turtle). Before she rolls the dice, she must announce which turtle the roll applies to.
My Opinion
Similar to Can't Stop, Mahé has very simple rules - I find them even a tick simpler. Still, the game is very interesting. Here, too, the game board is very nicely designed and the game material looks valuable.
Of course, the game is subject to a certain luck factor, because the dice decide whether you can move or not. However, there are also some tactical elements that you can influence:
- What risk do I want to take? How often do I want to throw?
- Which turtle moves first? If the back one moves first, there's a chance you'll land on the other one.
- Do I want to go around the island now and collect fewer points, or do I only take a few steps and hope for a better map in the next round?
That's just a small excerpt. Of course, Mahé is not an expert or connoisseur game, but it offers good entertainment and is a good game for in between. Due to the simple rules, it is perfect for casual players or for younger or older players. But even frequent players can have a lot of fun with the game.
For me, the mix of simple rules, but still different strategies and a portion of luck with the dice makes the game so appealing. I find the possibility of stacking the turtles particularly amusing – which also opens up completely new possibilities.
I really like that the game board can be used on both sides. It would have been even nicer if the back had alternative rules or a different game plan. This only slightly reduces my very positive overall impression.
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