Navegador
- Players
- 2-5
- Best withThe player count this game plays best at.
- 4 players
- Play timeHow long a full game runs once everyone knows the rules.
- 90 min
- AgeThe minimum age printed by the publisher.
- 12+
- ComplexityHow demanding the rules are, from 1 (very light) to 5 (very heavy).
- 3.1 / 5
- Year
- 2010
About the game
Navegador is a rondel-driven economic game set during the Portuguese Age of Discoveries, where players build fleets, establish colonies, and trade sugar, gold, and spices to grow their wealth. Movement around the rondel determines available actions each turn, from hiring workers to constructing shipyards, factories, and churches. Colonies generate valuable resources that feed a competitive market, while accumulated privileges reward players who diversify their strategic focus. As one of Mac Gerdts's signature rondel designs, it rewards efficient long-term planning over direct conflict.
Hobbli's Notes
Hobbli's editorial team appreciates Navegador as a clean, tightly-designed economic euro with a satisfying sense of historical progression. The rondel mechanic forces careful sequencing since backtracking costs extra turns. It's a game of quiet optimization rather than confrontation, appealing to players who enjoy building an efficient economic engine. The historical theme of exploration and trade comes through nicely in the mechanics.
What we like
- Elegant rondel mechanic rewards efficient planning.
- Satisfying sense of economic growth over the game.
- Low direct conflict makes it approachable for euro fans.
- Solid historical theme tied closely to mechanics.
Keep in mind
- Limited direct player interaction may disappoint conflict-seekers.
- Rondel can feel restrictive to players who dislike forced sequencing.
- Runs long for a game with this level of complexity.
Who it's for
Great for euro-strategy fans aged 12+ who enjoy economic engine-building in groups of 2-5.
