The Princes of Machu Picchu

About this board game

The Princes of Machu Picchu is a 90-minute board game for 2–5 players, in which each player takes the role of an Incan prince defending the hidden city from the Spaniards.

High in the mountains, Machu Picchu remains concealed above the river Urabumba. Yet danger is close: a traitor may be among the princes, ready to reveal the location of the secret city. Players choose their actions by moving their prince around the city map.

While exploring the city, each prince directs workers who contribute to the survival and prosperity of the Incans. Their responsibilities include:

• Growing corn and feeding llamas
• Planting coca
• Manufacturing ceramics and cloth
• Engaging Priests of the Condor, Priests of the Puma, and Virgins of the Sun

The game can end in two distinct ways. The Incans win by activating all the priests and virgins in time, while the Spaniards win when they discover Machu Picchu. This creates a race between carrying out the necessary sacred duties and preventing the city’s location from being exposed.

Victory is scored differently depending on how the game ends. After an Incan victory, the prince who made the wisest sacrifices to the gods wins. If the Spaniards discover the city, princes who accumulated the most gold receive a multiplier to their score—but that advantage may still not be enough to secure the overall victory.

With its moving princes, productive workers, sacred figures, and two possible endings, The Princes of Machu Picchu presents a dramatic struggle to preserve a hidden Incan refuge.