Caldera

About this board game

Caldera is a 2011 board game for 2–3 players in which players trigger volcanic eruptions to capture pieces and race to complete three monochrome trios.

Inspired by spewing volcanoes, the game uses a Volcano board with an empty central space representing the volcano’s caldera. Six rainbow stashes provide the pieces: four colors from each stash are arranged in the board’s nests, while the fifth color is used for caps.

Players move caps to cause eruptions. When an eruption occurs, pieces are captured, creating the path toward victory. The game’s central challenge comes from deciding when to trigger eruptions and when to use an alternative action.

• For 2–3 players
• Six rainbow stashes set up across the board
• An empty center space that evokes a volcanic caldera
• Erupt-and-capture gameplay inspired by Volcano
• A Power Play option for returning a captured piece to the board

Instead of moving a cap every turn, a player may make a Power Play: return one previously captured piece to the board. This option adds a distinct way to affect the developing position while pieces move between the board and players’ captured collections.

Caldera ends as soon as one player has captured three monochrome trios. That player wins. Although Caldera began as a variant of Volcano, its “Fiesta Caldera” variant is now the canonical version of Volcano, giving this eruption-driven design a notable place in the game’s history.