Objective
The objective in Santa Cruz is to accumulate the most points over two rounds through building structures and exploring the island. The player with the highest score at the end wins the game.
Components
- 1 Game board
- 76 Building markers
- 7 Volcano tiles
- 12 Scoring cards
- 32 Hand cards
- 4 Overview cards
- Point markers
- 4 Player tokens
Setup
- Place the Game Board: Place the game board in the center of the table.
- Shuffle Building Markers: Shuffle the building markers facedown and place them ready.
- Randomly Distribute Volcano Tiles: Place the volcano tiles facedown on the allotted spaces.
- Distribute Card Sets: Each player receives a card set consisting of 8 cards.
- Determine Starting Player: The oldest player starts as the starting player.
Gameplay
The game is played in two rounds, with each round consisting of turns taken by the players.
First Round
- Explore and Build: Players can play cards to move and/or build structures. For each structure built, the player takes the corresponding building marker and receives the points shown.
- Movement Costs: To discover a new island or move, certain cards may need to be played.
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Building: Buildings can only be constructed on free build sites.
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Scoring: Once all players have played their hand cards, the scoring cards are activated. These grant additional points for meeting certain criteria, such as having the most buildings of certain types.
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Volcano Tiles (optional): When revealed and activated at the end of the first round, they can negatively impact specific island areas.
Second Round
The second round proceeds similarly to the first but with the distinction that buildings and roads are not rebuilt, requiring new paths and strategies for using hand cards. The player order may change, providing new scoring opportunities depending on the played scoring cards.
Strategic Tips
- Plan your hand cards carefully to maximize your actions.
- Try to occupy strategically valuable positions in the first round.
- Keep an eye on your opponents' scoring cards to counteract them.
- Consider wisely when and how to play your movement cards.
End of the Game
The game ends after the second round. Points from all scoring cards and built structures are totaled. The player with the most points wins. If there's a tie, the player with the higher score in the second round wins.
