# Cacao: Chocolatl ## General Info - **Year Published**: 2016 - **BGG Rating**: 7.5 - **BGG Rank**: — - **Players**: 2-4 (Best with: 3) - **Duration**: 60 min - **Weight**: 2.07 / 5 - **Designers**: Phil Walker-Harding - **Artists**: Claus Stephan - **Publishers**: ABACUSSPIELE, Cranio Creations, Devir, Filosofia Éditions, G3, GoKids 玩樂小子, uplay.it edizioni, White Goblin Games, Z-Man Games - **Categories**: Expansion for Base-game - **Mechanics**: Area Majority / Influence, Hand Management, Once-Per-Game Abilities, Tile Placement, Variable Set-up, Victory Points as a Resource ## Verdict If you love Cacao and want more options without the hassle, Chocolatl offers flexible modules that spice up the game.Modular and easy to combineNew chocolate strategiesUnique hut powersRequires base Cacao gameSome modules may see limited useRECOMMENDED ## Description Cacao: Chocolatl is the expansion that introduces four independent modules for the base Cacao game, and the best part is you can run each one solo or mix as many as you like. The chocolate module adds three chocolate‑maker tiles, three special markets and twenty wooden chocolate markers. Here, cacao from your fields turns into chocolate that can be sold at a high price, but only at those special markets, creating a race for lucrative points. The huts module brings twelve double‑sided huts that can be acquired during play; each hut grants its owner a special power or extra points when specific conditions are met, adding a "card‑like" twist. The irrigation module includes three special plantations that yield a flood of cacao fruits, but you must pay with water, forcing resource trade‑offs between production and consumption. Finally, the maps module offers a preview board with two extra tiles visible next to the draw pile; each player starts with two of these map tiles and, when spending a map, can pick from the revealed tiles, allowing advanced planning and tighter control over board expansion. All the mechanics – hand management, tile placement, area influence, and once‑per‑game abilities – blend smoothly, keeping the game light (2/5 weight) and the playtime around an hour. Perfect for fans of Cacao who want more variety, or for groups seeking a modular expansion that fits their table rhythm. ## How to Play Game Objective Cacao: Chocolatl is an expansion for the base game Cacao, allowing 2 to 4 chocolate lovers aged 8 and up to explore new strategies and modules. The overall objective of the base game applies, but with the additions of this expansion, players are looking to optimize the production and sale of cacao and chocolate, manage resources such as map tokens and gold, and build huts to gain abilities and bonuses. The victory condition is determined by the final score, where the player with the most gold and hut bonuses will be the winner. Preparation (Setup) To set up the game with the Cacao: Chocolatl expansion, follow these steps, incorporating the desired modules: Map Module: Give each player 2 Map tokens. The remaining tokens are stored in the box. After shuffling the jungle tile stack, place the map board next to it. Instead of drawing 2 jungle tiles, draw 4. Place the first 2 drawn tiles face up on the map board, and the other 2 (as in the base game) next to the map board. Irrigation Module: Remove 1 single plantation tile and 2 double plantation tiles from the base game and store them in the box. Add the 3 irrigation tiles and mix them with the other jungle tiles. For a 2-player game, remove only 2 double plantation tiles and add 2 irrigation tiles. The starting tiles for the irrigation module are: 1x single plantation and 1x cenote. Chocolatl Module: Remove 3 gold mines and 3 markets with a selling price of 3 from the base game and store them in the box. Add the 3 chocolate factory tiles and 3 chocolate market tiles and shuffle them with the jungle tiles. Place the 20 wooden chocolate bars next to the cacao supply. For a 2-player game, remove only 1 mine tile of value 2, 1 mine tile of value 1, and 2 market tiles of selling price 3. Add 2 chocolate factory tiles and 2 chocolate market tiles and shuffle them with the jungle tiles. Store the removed tiles in the box. Hut Module: Take the 12 hut tiles and randomly scatter them on the table. The face turned up will be used in the game, while the face turned down will not be available. Place the 12 hut tiles next to the playing area in a reserve, in ascending order of cost. Variant: Players can agree to choose the faces of the hut tiles that will be used in the game, instead of drawing them randomly. Game Flow The game proceeds normally, following the base game rules, except when modified by the expansion rules. The main modifications to the flow are: Jungle Tile Resupply (Map Module): As in the base game, jungle tiles are resupplied at the end of the player's turn after being drawn. Before resupplying, slide the tiles that are on the map board out. Then, draw 2 tiles to fill the map board. Hut Construction (Hut Module): At the end of your turn, you can build a hut. Actions and How to Play In addition to the base game actions, players have the following options and interactions with the new modules: Using Map Tokens (Map Module): If you need to fill 1 or 2 jungle spaces, you can use the last 2 tiles drawn – just like in the base game. Alternatively, you can spend 1 map token to choose 1 tile that is on the map board. You can use your 2 map tokens in the same turn. Activating Irrigation Tiles (Irrigation Module): For each worker activated on the adjacent edge of an irrigation tile, you can move back 1 space on your navigation track. For each space on the navigation track that your worker moves back this way, you can take 4 cacaos from the reserve and add them to your cacao supply. If your meeple is on the 1st space of the navigation track (-10), you do not receive any cacao. Any cacao you gain that cannot be stored returns to the game's reserve. It is not very useful to send more than 1 worker at a time to the irrigation tile. Activating Chocolate Factories (Chocolatl Module): For each worker activated on the edge of a chocolate factory, you can convert 1 cacao into 1 chocolate bar. Exchange your cacao for the chocolate bar in your supply. Each space in your supply can be used for 1 cacao or 1 chocolate. Activating Chocolate Markets (Chocolatl Module): For each worker activated on the edge of a chocolate market, you can sell 1 cacao for 3 gold or 1 chocolate bar for 7 gold. Return the sold good to the game's supply and take the amount in money. If you activated more than one worker, you can individually choose what to sell: 1 cacao or 1 chocolate bar. Building Huts (Hut Module): At the end of your turn, you can build a hut by paying gold equal to its cost. You can only pay for a hut with gold coins you currently possess. Gold you would earn at the end of the game (e.g., from temples or the navigation track) cannot be used to build huts. Place the huts you build next to your village board. You cannot build a hut identical to one you already own. Each hut rewards the player with some ability or bonus at the end of the game. End of Game and Scoring The game ends when the end-game trigger of base Cacao is activated. The following scoring rules and additional considerations apply: Map Tokens: Unused map tokens are worth nothing at the end of the game. Chocolate Bars: Leftover chocolate bars in your supply are not worth points at the end of the game. Huts: The gold you spent to build huts is not lost: add the construction cost of your huts to your total gold. Additionally, some huts grant a bonus that increases your total gold. Sun Marker Variant: Players can agree to allow the use of the sun marker as soon as the jungle tile stack runs out. The player with the highest total gold, including hut bonuses and their construction cost, is the winner. Tips for Winning Cacao and Chocolate Management: It is not very useful to send more than 1 worker at a time to the irrigation tile, as any cacao that cannot be stored returns to the game's reserve. Plan your irrigation activations to maximize storage. Strategic Selling: When activating a chocolate market, you can individually choose what to sell (cacao or chocolate bar) for each activated worker. Evaluate whether it is more advantageous to sell cacao for 3 gold or a chocolate bar for 7 gold, considering your resources and need for gold. Investment in Huts: Remember that the gold spent to build huts is not lost and is added to your total gold at the end of the game. Additionally, huts offer abilities and bonuses that can be crucial for victory. Plan the construction of huts that complement your strategy. ## FAQ ### How many players can use the expansion? It keeps the base game's range: 2 to 4 players. ### How long does a game last with the modules? Average playtime stays around 60 minutes, varying with the number of modules used. ### Do I need the base Cacao game? Yes, Chocolatl is an expansion and requires the base Cacao game to play. ### Can the modules be played separately? Absolutely, each of the four modules can be played on its own or mixed together. ### What new components are included? Three chocolate‑maker tiles, three chocolate markets, 20 chocolate markers, 12 double‑sided huts, 3 irrigation plantations, 2 map tiles per player, and water tokens. ### Does the expansion increase game complexity? The weight stays low (about 2/5), so complexity only rises slightly depending on which modules you add. ### Is it suitable for beginners? Yes, especially if you start with a few modules; the core Cacao mechanics stay unchanged. ## Price Comparison ### Best International Offers - **BoardGamePrices.com**: $ 21.51 (https://boardgameprices.com/item/go?source=A&storeitemid=3916537&utm_source=boardgamesbot.com) - See all on BoardGamePrices: https://boardgameprices.com/item/show/17717/cacao-chocolatl?utm_source=boardgamesbot.com