If you’ve ever wanted to carve up an island and make your friends angry in the process, you’re in the right place. Welcome to my review of Mexica! After many games (and a few grudges), I’ve got the scoop on strategy, luck, mean moves, and whether this is worth your precious shelf space—or if you’ll be flipping the table, Aztec-style.
How It Plays
Setting up
First, plop the Mexica board on the table without making that weird cardboard fart noise (harder than you think). Each player grabs their mask tokens and bridges. Shuffle the district tiles, set the canal tokens nearby, and argue over who gets the best seat.
Gameplay
On your turn, you get 6 action points to spend. Move your Mexica pawn, drop canals to create districts, or claim them by planting your tokens and shouting, “Mine!” like a greedy seagull. Bridges let you cross water, but expect a few groans if you block someone’s perfect path. Districts score points, so keep an eye on rival players or you’ll end up canal-blocked.
Winning the game
After all districts are claimed, count up your victory points. Whoever has the most wins the game, and the right to smugly explain their genius plan to the rest of us. If you’re not first, at least you can say you mastered the ancient art of strategic canal placement. That’s worth something, right?
Want to know more? Read our extensive strategy guide for Mexica.
Mexica’s Game Mechanics: Build, Block, and Bamboozle
Mexica is one of those games that looks peaceful, with its lovely map and little temples, but my friend Lindsey ended up flipping her chair (not on purpose, she just stood up fast). Let’s talk about why. The core mechanic is all about carving up the board to make little districts. You have action points every turn, and you can use these to put down bridges, move your chunky Mexica, drop temples, or carve canals. But every single action costs points, so you always feel like you don’t have enough to do everything you want. That burning dilemma is pretty much the game’s soul.
The way you interact with other players is just…spicy. Everyone’s fighting for control of districts, but you can’t just focus on yourself. If you’re too obvious, you’ll get blocked. I once spent three turns setting up my perfect district only for Ben to drop a bridge in and lock me out. The level of passive-aggressive sabotage is glorious. You have to watch everyone like a hawk and strike at just the right moment. Sometimes, I catch myself plotting two rounds ahead and accidentally ignoring conversation, which my friends love to tease me about.
Mexica doesn’t mess around with random dice throws. Your wins and losses come from your own moves and, okay, maybe a bit of trickery from your mates. Still, is Mexica the perfect balance between strategy and luck? Well, buckle up, because the next section is about to go full Sherlock Holmes on that topic!
Strategy or Sheer Luck? The Balance in Mexica
Alright, so let’s get straight to the juicy bit: is Mexica a game of clever planning or “oops, I tripped and fell into victory”? I’ve dragged my group through quite a few rounds of Mexica by now, and let me tell you, if luck is involved, it must be hiding under the table with the spare meeples! This is one of those games where your strategy muscles get a proper workout. Every move, every canal, and every last temple placement feels like it’s YOUR doing – or undoing, if you get too cocky.
Now, that’s not to say Mexica is totally free from chance. Turn order can sometimes mess you up, and yes, sometimes someone manages to sneak a district win while you’re busy plotting the world’s most convoluted canal system. But overall, random events don’t decide the winner. When my buddy Pete lost spectacularly last round, I couldn’t really blame the dice (there aren’t any) – it was definitely more about his, erm, “unique” plan.
The key is planning ahead and keeping one suspicious eye on your opponents, because this is a game where a single clever move can change the landscape (literally and metaphorically). If you’re looking for a game where you can blame the universe for your failure, Mexica is not it. Don’t bring your lucky rabbit’s foot – bring your best plotting hat.
Next up, I’ll talk about the artwork and component quality, so sharpen your senses – things are about to get pretty!
Mexica Board Game Artwork and Component Quality: A Visual Feast or Feast for the Eyes?
Mexica may sound like a spicy salsa, but this board game actually brings something hotter to your table: gorgeous artwork. When I first popped open the box (with minimal box-fumbling, thank you very much), I was greeted by a board that’s as colorful as my aunt Edna’s questionable taco casserole. The bright waterways, districts, and bridges pop off the table, meaning you don’t need to squint or guess which district is which. If you’re a sucker for games that look good in your Instagram feeds, Mexica will upgrade your grid.
Let’s talk components. There’s something wildly satisfying about placing those chunky plastic bridges across the canals—though I admit, the first time I tried, it looked more like a failed engineering project. The buildings? They stack up nicely, and the pyramids look downright regal when you claim a district. I found the tiles to have a good heft and they survived a dramatic game-night snack spill (paid for by one unlucky nacho). The cards and action tokens are sturdy, and the printing is crisp, so play after play, everything holds up. That said, I wish the player markers had just a smidge more style—they’re a bit bland compared to the glossier look of the rest of the pieces. If you’re the type who brings out the fancy snacks for board game night, Mexica will not embarrass you.
Overall, Mexica feels deluxe without making your wallet scream. The eye-candy factor is strong, and there’s tactile joy in moving pieces around. Next up, let’s see if Mexica’s replay value is as strong as its bridges—or if it crumbles under the weight of too many game nights. Stay tuned!
Is Mexica Worth Replaying? Game Length, Variety, and Table Appeal
If you’re the kind of gamer who loves squeezing every penny out of a board game, Mexica might just be your dream vacation. This one has legs. The game’s replay value is solid, thanks to changing starting tiles, player counts, and the sheer variety in how each group slices up the island. Every time my friends and I set up Mexica, someone seems to discover a brand new evil trick—usually right after I’ve sunk all my precious action points into what I thought was a genius move. Suddenly my district is worth comically less than I planned, and I’m left staring at the ceiling, plotting revenge for next time.
Mexica clocks in around 60–90 minutes, which in my house is perfect—not too short, not ‘wake-me-up-when-you’re-done’ long. It’s long enough to feel like you did something important but won’t delay dinner. The first play can be a touch slow, since everyone is learning how canal building works (and at least one rule lawyer is checking every move). But once you know the ropes, things move at a brisk clip. For the full experience, play with three or four. Two players is fine, but the cutthroat fun multiplies with a bigger crowd.
Do I recommend Mexica? Oh yes, if you love strategy and don’t mind your friends getting a little sneaky. It’s clever, it’s replayable, and it’s just the right length. Unless you hate interaction, this one deserves a permanent holiday on your shelf.
Conclusion
If you love clever planning and a bit of friendly chaos, Mexica knocks it out of the park. The strategy is top notch, luck stays in the corner where it belongs, and the artwork looks great for showing off to your friends (or rivals). Sure, the player pieces could dress up a bit, but that’s a small quibble. With high replay value and not too much table time, I’d say Mexica earns a strong spot in any strategy gamer’s collection. That wraps up my review—now excuse me while I plot my revenge for last night’s loss!
