From master games designer Reiner Knizia comes Through the Desert. This is the game that answers the age old question of how many plastic camels are too many. 176 is the answer, as you get one less than this in a truly packed box set.

Through the desert is a game of competitively forming camels trains to cross the desert, while strategically blocking your opponents from the oases dotted around the board.

The game accepts a maximum of five players, and is very playable with this number, though the board gets crowded very quickly. For two or three players, a smaller version of the board is used, keeping the competitive nature of the game.

During play each player takes it turn to take two plastic camels form the supply and add them to their camel train. The camels are divided into colours and each of your trains must contain only camels of the same colour. Your opponents use the same colour of camels, but two camels of the same colour owned by two different players cannot be placed next to each other. This rule prevents confusion on the board and also allows player to place their camels in a way to cut their opponents off from lengthening their own camel trains.

Points are scored each time a camel train passes over a waterhole or reaches an oasis. The game ends when all the camels of one colour have been used. The winner is the player who scores the most points. Bonus points are available at the end of the player with the longest camel train in each colour.

Through the Desert is a simple, fun game that suits two or more players of ages 8 and up. Through the Desert is one of the many games available to members through our club games library.

If you enjoyed this review, you may also enjoy our reviews of:

Aqua Romana
Colossal Arena
Deadwood