Calimala
- 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.
- 75 min
- AgeThe minimum age printed by the publisher.
- 10+
- ComplexityHow demanding the rules are, from 1 (very light) to 5 (very heavy).
- 2.8 / 5
- Year
- 2017
About the game
Calimala casts players as cloth merchants in medieval Florence, assigning trusted employees to streets throughout the city to produce and deliver cloth while contributing to the construction of grand buildings. Each street connects two action spaces, and placing a disc between them activates both: along with everyone else's discs already there. Employees eventually get promoted onto the city council, triggering a scoring phase, and the changing arrangement of action spaces each game keeps strategies fresh. Secret objectives and action cards add another layer of uncertainty to this area-majority economic game designed by Fabio Lopiano.
Hobbli's Notes
Calimala is a clever area-majority puzzle with a satisfying push in the promotion mechanism: timing when your discs get promoted to trigger scoring is the heart of the strategy. The modular action-space layout means no two games play out quite the same way. A strong pick for fans of Lopiano's other economic strategy titles looking for another crunchy, medium-heavy game.
What we like
- Clever promotion mechanic ties timing directly to scoring strategy.
- Modular action-space setup keeps replays fresh.
- Secret objectives add hidden strategic tension.
- Rewards careful long-term planning over multiple scoring rounds.
Keep in mind
- 75-minute playtime with real complexity may not suit casual groups.
- Multiple interlocking systems create a steep initial learning curve.
- Turn order and disc placement can create some analysis paralysis.
Who it's for
Medium-heavy strategy gamers who enjoy area majority and economic engine-building; best for 2-5 players, ages 12 and up, in about 75 minutes.
