Cartagena: Escape Diaries

About this board game

Cartagena: Escape Diaries is a 2023 board game for 2–5 players, with games lasting about 45 minutes. Players guide crews of six animal pirates through a tortuous underground passage from a fortress to a port, racing to be the first to get every pirate aboard a waiting sloop.

The original mode, called the First Escape, uses cards to drive movement. Each card shows one of six symbols, and playing a card moves one of your pirates forward to the next matching symbol in the tunnel. Matching symbols occupied by other pirates can be leapfrogged, helping your crew advance through the passage.

Cards are limited, and the only way to gain more is to move backward. A pirate moving backward goes to the first space containing one or two pirates, then you draw one or two cards. On each turn, you take 1–3 actions, choosing between forward movement, backward movement, or a combination of both.

• First Escape: Race all six pirates to the sloop using card-driven movement.
• Follow the Captain: Add a captain hat to one pirate and use that leader’s powers.
• Risky Rafts: Attempt a faster escape on a leaky raft, while risking sinking.
• All Together Now!: Combine the captain and raft features in the Fourth Escape.

As pirates reach the end of the track, they board the sloop and await the rest of their crew. With fewer pirates left to move, your available choices can become increasingly restricted, so careful planning is essential if you want to avoid being left empty-handed.

With multiple ways to play, Cartagena: Escape Diaries revisits the classic escape race while adding new twists to the underground journey.