Pirates of Maracaibo cover
2023BGG rank #424

Pirates of Maracaibo

by Ralph Bienert, Ryan Hendrickson, Alexander Pfister · dlp games

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Players1–4
Time40–100m
ComplexityMedium-Light
Age12+

About the game

What is Pirates of Maracaibo?

Set sail for an adventurous raid...for perhaps it will be your last! Face danger and adventure once more while you search high and low for the most valuable treasures the Caribbean has to offer, then quickly find a safe harbor to stash priceless gold, rare emeralds, and iridescent pearls. Explore, stockpile cargo, hire crew, and commandeer rival ships, but don't forget to bury your loot. As you sail, be on the lookout for a place to settle after your life on the high seas has come to an end, but before you do that, you must outpace your opponents as one trip around the Caribbean won't be enough. You must make three trips in order to retire as the richest and greatest buccaneer of all time. Pirates of Maracaibo is a standalone game in the same franchise as 2019's Maracaibo, and players who are familiar with that game will recognize some beloved concepts from the original. However, new players can jump right in with no prior knowledge of the original game as Pirates of Maracaibo is an independent game with a more accessible rule set. The game plays over three rounds in which you sail the Caribbean, hire crew, ally with other ships, explore the shore, amass the most treasure, and (ideally) retire to a secluded island as the most revered pirate in history. Cast off sailors and swashbucklers, cast off! —description from the designer Microbadge:

How it plays

Mechanics

Dice RollingIncrease Value of Unchosen ResourcesMulti-Use CardsPieces as MapRaceStock HoldingVariable Set-up

On the shelf

Categories

AdventureExplorationNauticalPirates

Questions players ask

Questions to bring to BoardGameBrain

  • How do setup and the first turn work in Pirates of Maracaibo?
  • When does scoring happen and what ends the game?
  • How should the table resolve an unusual timing or rules interaction?