Lost Cities

Customer Reviews

A fun two player game Review by KR

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The reason why I like Lost Cities is that it's made for 2 players. I've found that many games that can play with multiple people can sometimes feel lackluster when only played with you and one other person. Lost Cities, however, is only playable with 2 people. The basis of the game if to complete expeditions for five different locations. Each location has a set of cards with numbers ranging from 1 to 10. You start the game off with a hand of cards and you proceed to place location cards under their location space on the board, but you can only place the location cards in ascending number order. Of course you could be waiting for a certain number from the deck to find out that your opponent has had it all along.

The tricky part is each expedition costs points to do so at the end of each round you automatically have to subtract 20 points from your score. The scores can also be multiplied if you have used investor cards in the game. This can be an issue if you're combined location cards did not exceed 20. In this case when you subtract the "cost" of the expedition you will end up with negative points and if you used any investor cards you will multiply that negative score bringing you further down.

The art on the cards is nice but nothing superb; however, the game comes in a nice little box that is perfect for taking on trips. (Posted on 4/16/12)

great mechanics, quick and fun! Review by Sweetspot

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Lost Cities is a set collection/ hand management game where you go head-to-head with another person.
you will need to collect certain several of the 5 sets an try to get positive points by gettin enough card in each.
the game makes you take risks because once you started a set, you better finish it otherwise it's a negative points to the round for sure.
tho game is really easy to learn and is a great game for a wide range of ages.
I would say the mechanics is really great and it's compact to carry around with you to anywhere. if you want to pack even smaller, leave the board out as its not require to play and just bring the deck. (Posted on 3/17/12)

Fun, Quick and Easy Review by Jacques

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Lost Cities is enjoyable, though I did expect more from a game that has been so popular. After reading the instructions I got the impression that the game would be more "adventure" like than it is because of the risk that you take in starting a particular quest. It turned out that if you are careful to count the cards you have in any given color you very rarely have to take a big risk. For this reason I find the game to be too easy, but that may be because I really enjoy heavier strategic games.

One of the great things is that the game can be highly portable if you only take the cards with you. I really like the artwork on the cards, and that alone adds to the fun of playing the game.

One downside to the playing is that because you can hold so many cards in your hand you are often able to keep anything that could be remotely useful to your opponent. When my wife and I play the discard piles end up mostly with agreement cards and sometimes cards that have become useless to both players.

All in all this game is enjoyable and quick and it is a great game after a long day when you don't necessarily have the brain power to play something really intense. (Posted on 12/10/11)

Quick, simple, entry-level game for two Review by Chroniclers

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This game is easy to learn and teach, requires minimal space, and is quick to play.

Like most of Reiner Knizia's games, the mechanics are simple, but the dynamics are more complex than they first appear. The visuals are satisfying, and fit well with the theme.

I'm an experienced gamer. The lady of the house is definitely not. She enjoys this game a lot, and I find it fun, but not exactly satisfying due to the lack of mind-melting complexity.

The bottom line is that I will never refuse to play a round or three of this game, but as an experienced gamer I consider it "filler". (Posted on 2/26/11)

Good Couple Game Review by Wasgo

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Lost Cities is a two-player game that's well known as one of the best games to play with your significant other. From my experience, it does not disappoint. The game revolves around playing number cards in ascending order, to complete exploration routes. With few avenues to directly block each other, you'll even be willing to talk to each other after the game ends. Fully recommended for couples. (Posted on 12/22/09)

A perhaps overly hyped game Review by Jasmine

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Lost Cities is not a bad game by any definition of the word. However, it is an overly hyped game and this is important to note when trying out the game. Unfortunately for me, I approached the game with high expectations but found a very simple and basic card game that can easily be replicated with a deck of playing cards.

There are extra cards in the set and a board that does not allow for a perfect translation into playing cards and may encourage you to buy the actual set. The artwork on the board and cards is pretty nice, each card depicts a different scene from a particular expedition and is interesting to look at the first time you open your set. The only complaint about the set it self is the jumbo cards that makes it awkward to hold a hand.

Lost Cities has been frequently recommended to couples as a great game, but I would say that this is only true if your significant other only has basic experiences with tabletop games or if they are only a card game player. For people who have grown up playing Monopoly and other board games, I would recommend trying something a bit meatier like Mr. Jack, Finca, or Portobello Market. If you want to stick with card games, even Bohnanza grants a better feel for "core" tabletop games and will aid in progressing towards even more games. (Posted on 12/10/09)

A simple game perfect for card counting fans Review by Murray

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Lost Cities is a two player only game that is very simple and quick to learn and play. Essentially, there are five expeditions that you can explore. Before setting out on an expedition, you can choose to invest in that expedition if you have the correct cards. Then, you begin placing numbered cards on the expedition, representing highlights of the trip.

You can only place cards higher than the last and, at the same time, your opponent will also be using some cards so you will know what is missing. If you fail to tackle an expedition that you have invested in correctly, then you will be taking a point detriment instead of a bonus.

The game is well suited to card counters would like to keep track of what has been played or discarded. The game is good for casual and new players but, despite its fairly decent production quality, it is hard to recommend this game because it is so easy to replicate with a 5-suited deck. (Posted on 9/9/09)

A light two player card game for Gin Rummy fans Review by TR

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When asked to describe Lost Cities, I've always seen it as a more complex 'Gin Rummy' game with 5 decks, multiplier cards and only 9 numbers. Because really, that's what Lost Cities is.

It's a 2 player game where players attempt to create a string of cards numbering from 2 to 10, with multipliers (investment cards) being played first. You'll need to know what cards to keep in hand, what cards to discard for the other player to pick-up (or ignore) and when to draw cars from the deck to speed up or slow the game down.

It's fast, with each round playable in 5 minutes with experienced players and very tactical. It's not particularly heavy in strategy due to the high amount of luck, but it's a great light 'filler' game which can interest a new player. (Posted on 3/25/09)