Through the Desert
🐸 Dettagli da BoardGameGeek
Game info
Design & Art
Lingua & Editore
Pairs well with
There's no mercy in the desert. Only sand, oases... and well-built camels.
In Through the Desert , you lead a nomadic tribe determined to conquer the most profitable dunes. But not with force: with strategy. An abstract and familiar board game where every move builds a caravan, and each caravan can mean points, domination, or a lethal blockade for your opponents.
Place two camels per turn. That's it. But at the heart of this simplicity lies a constant tension, because the desert is narrow, the oases are few, and every enclosed space can become your territory ... or a trap for others. And while you plan the perfect route, others are doing the same. Silently.
Why "Through the Desert" is minimalist, yet merciless
- 🐫 Iconic components : pastel camels on sandy hexes, impossible to forget
- 🧠 Pure strategy : no text, no luck, just perfect (or almost perfect) choices
- 💧 Territory control : connect, block, surround... dominate
- 🏜️ Oases and water sources : precious spots in a sea of sand and sand
- 🎯 Ideal for 2-5 players : flexible, elegant, infinitely replayable
If you're looking for an abstract, strategic board game that combines mechanical elegance and quiet depth, Through the Desert is a timeless classic . No words, but a thousand thoughts. And, often, a misplaced camel that condemns you.
In the desert, there's no talking. Just watching. And the last escape route is closed.
Product Details
🐸 HOW TO PLAY
1. Collect music events during your road trip
Players play a band of rock cats on their way to their big concert. Each turn, they choose an event from the deck (activities, unforeseen events, mini-games), resolving scenes at the table before continuing towards the finish line.
2. Play “momentum” tiles to activate combos and get bonuses
Some events allow you to collect momentum tiles: they activate in a chain whenever you resolve related events, granting extra points or special powers. Accumulating momentum is the key to stellar performances.
3. Solve quick and easy mini-games with a cat theme!
The events include mini-games (challenges, balance tests, memory tests, etc.), often with a humorous feline twist. You solve them quickly: the tension is fun, never overwhelming.
4. Build your audience with fan cards
Some events allow you to earn fan cards that represent your following. The more fans you have, the more points you'll earn at the end. You need to balance pace, momentum, and the appeal of the concert.
5. Whoever arrives at the big concert with the most points and accumulated momentum wins.
The game ends with the final concert. Points are calculated based on resolved events, momentum combos, and fans gathered. The group of cats that performed best… wins the Big Gig !
📦 BOX CONTENTS
1 Double-Sided Board
5 Leader Color Markers
25 Leaders (5 Per Player)
175 Camels (35 of Each Color)
5 Largest Caravan Tokens
5 Oasis Markers
44 Point Tokens
45 Waterhole Token
REGULATION ENG
Download the Regulations Here
Through the Desert
In the desert, the winner is not the one who runs fastest, but the one who can see beyond the horizon.
An abstract and brilliant board game, where every camel is a choice that weighs as much as the desert sun.
Through the Desert – Silent Walks Through Sand, Camels, and Millennial Strategies
There is a place where time stands still, the sand crunches underfoot and the colors of camels trace the routes of dominion.
In Through the Desert , you don't fight with swords but with the silence of right decisions.
Each player leads their tribe across endless expanses, searching for refreshing oases and territories to fence off with meticulous patience.
But be careful: every move of the others can cut you off , every camel placed can open a gap or close your strategy.
A meditative, competitive, and captivating experience from Reiner Knizia , with a minimal yet evocative aesthetic and mechanics reminiscent of ancient abstract games like Go .
Through the Desert – An abstract game with camels, oases, and irrevocable decisions
Through the Desert is an abstract board game for 2-5 players, combining territory control , strategic blockade , and interlocking movement .
Published by Allplay and created by one of the sacred monsters of game design, Reiner Knizia , it puts you in charge of a nomadic tribe with only one goal: to earn as many points as possible through camel caravans .
Each turn, two camels are deployed to try to reach oases, create closed areas in the desert, extend caravans… or hinder opponents.
The board is an elegant hexagonal grid, offering endless tactical possibilities. No dice, no luck: just planning, adaptation, and visual mastery .
A pearl for those who love quiet and deep strategy games, independent of language , also perfect for families with older children.
We played it, and it's a mirage worth every drop of water 🐸
Don't be fooled by the pastel colors and cute camels: Through the Desert is a ruthless game .
Every camel you place can decide the match, every oasis you leave free is an opportunity for others.
It reminded us of the tactical elegance of Azul , the spatial tension of Go , but with a visual lightness that makes it irresistible.
At FroGames we played several games, and each time the desert surprised us with new strategies.
A timeless title, a must-have for your collection if you love games where every single choice counts… even when it seems insignificant .
Other Allplay board games recommended by FroGames:
🎰 Vegas Strip – Bluffing, bribery, and deduction in a casino where you lose in style
🎪 Big Top – Strategic auctions and circus acts in a game that's smarter than it seems
🐜 Bites – Greedy ants and shared paths where nothing is as it seems
🍓 Pies – Fruity Trick-Taking with Guard Dogs and Sugary Thefts
👠 Couture – Fashion, fashion shows and rivalries between international top models
📚 Fiction – Linguistic deduction and literary lies in a chilling game
🥓 Bacon – Secret teams and hands to climb in a game that deserves to be read (between the lines)
I giochi da tavolo non servono a passare il tempo. Servono a viverlo meglio. – La Rana Saggia
Ogni regola è un’opportunità nascosta. Scoprila con occhi nuovi. – Il Girino Curioso
Non so come ho vinto. Ma è stato divertentissimo. Rigioca, se hai il coraggio. – La Ranarock Ribelle
Una buona mossa è silenziosa. La vittoria, inevitabile. – Ranaldo Stratega
Non serve vincere per giocare bene. Serve giocare per stare bene. – Zio Rospo Zen
I giochi da tavolo non servono a passare il tempo. Servono a viverlo meglio. – La Rana Saggia
Ogni regola è un’opportunità nascosta. Scoprila con occhi nuovi. – Il Girino Curioso
Non so come ho vinto. Ma è stato divertentissimo. Rigioca, se hai il coraggio. – La Ranarock Ribelle
Una buona mossa è silenziosa. La vittoria, inevitabile. – Ranaldo Stratega
Non serve vincere per giocare bene. Serve giocare per stare bene. – Zio Rospo Zen
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