Xalapa

About this board game

Xalapa is a 2014 game for 1–6 players that takes about 30 minutes to play. A mystical oracle reveals the criteria for each challenge, and everyone immediately searches their own board for the right spaces.

Each round begins when the oracle settles the conditions that must be met. Players then race to identify the spaces that match those criteria, making speed an important part of every challenge.

Being quick is not enough, however. The player who reaches the answer first must also avoid falling into disfavor with the oracle. This creates a tension between acting rapidly and successfully meeting the challenge’s requirements.

Xalapa lasts seven rounds, giving players repeated opportunities to respond to new criteria and find the correct spaces. At the end of the sequence, the quickest player who has not fallen into the oracle’s disfavor can win the game.

• For 1–6 players
• Approximately 30 minutes of play
• Seven rounds of oracle-guided challenges
• Immediate searches for matching spaces on player boards

With its mystical theme and straightforward challenge structure, Xalapa focuses on observation, speed, and careful responses to changing criteria. Whether played with a full group or as a solo game, it offers a compact race to satisfy the oracle across seven rounds.