game profile

Maracaibo

Pfister rondel + alliances + campaign mode

BGG · boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/276025

Maracaibo is a medium-heavy game (weight 7/10). The decision tree is among the deepest in the hobby (9/10), with meaningful long-term planning every turn. Decisions come at a steady pace (6/10) — engaged without being exhausting. There's meaningful but indirect interaction (interaction 5/10) — shared resources, catch-up effects, or watch-and-react moments. Direct attacks are minimal (2/10) — the friction comes from contention, not aggression.

Of every game in our catalog, Maracaibo is closest to Great Western Trail (95% profile match) but scores higher on input (6 vs. 5).

WeightDepthDensityInteractionConflictNegotiationInputOutputCatch-upThemeEngineNarrative
Solo8/10
Fiddly7/10
Players
2P3P4P1P5+P

The 12-axis profile

Every score is on a 0–10 scale. The rubric and methodology behind these numbers is documented in the README.

Thinking

how much brainwork?
Weight
7
Depth
9
Density
6

Maracaibo is a medium-heavy game (weight 7/10). The decision tree is among the deepest in the hobby (9/10), with meaningful long-term planning every turn. Decisions come at a steady pace (6/10) — engaged without being exhausting.

Interaction

how multiplayer is the multiplayer?
Interaction
5
Conflict
2
Negotiation
0

There's meaningful but indirect interaction (interaction 5/10) — shared resources, catch-up effects, or watch-and-react moments. Direct attacks are minimal (2/10) — the friction comes from contention, not aggression.

Luck

where does luck live?
Input
6
Output
1
Catch-up
4

Variance is moderate (input 6, output 1/10). Catch-up is moderate (4/10).

Experience

how does it feel?
Theme
6
Engine
8
Narrative
5

The theme provides flavor (6/10) but the experience is mostly mechanical. The engine-building arc is strong (engine 8/10) — early-game investments pay off in explosive late-game turns. There's some narrative flavor (narrative 5/10).

Variance is moderate (input 6, output 1/10). Catch-up is moderate (4/10).

The theme provides flavor (6/10) but the experience is mostly mechanical. The engine-building arc is strong (engine 8/10) — early-game investments pay off in explosive late-game turns. There's some narrative flavor (narrative 5/10).

Games like Maracaibo

Ranked by weighted Euclidean distance across the 12-axis profile, using the default research-weighted lens. Click any game to see its full profile.

1Great Western TrailHeavy · Engine-builder95%similar2Galactic CruiseHeavy · Engine-builder95%similar3Teotihuacan: City of GodsHeavy · Engine-builder95%similar4Ark NovaHeavy · Engine-builder93%similar5CarnegieHeavy · Engine-builder92%similar6Underwater CitiesHeavy · Engine-builder92%similar

Frequently asked

Answers derived directly from Maracaibo's 12-axis profile.

Is Maracaibo good solo?
Yes — Maracaibo has an excellent solo mode (solo 8/10). Many players consider it a top-tier solo experience.
What player count is Maracaibo best at?
Maracaibo is at its best at 2P, 3P, 4P; with 1P also strong; 5+P is the weakest count.
Is Maracaibo a heavy game?
Maracaibo is medium-heavy (weight 7/10) — substantial but learnable in one sitting with an experienced teacher.
How much luck is there in Maracaibo?
Maracaibo has moderate variance (input 6/10, output 1/10).
Is Maracaibo confrontational?
Maracaibo is largely non-confrontational (interaction 5/10, conflict 2/10) — leans toward parallel play.

Want to overlay Maracaibo against a candidate game and see exactly where they diverge? Open it in the lens →