Part puzzle, part game. Play as either Land or Sea (or as the Cartographer in a 3-player game). Each player has two double-sided hex tiles featuring a mix of land and sea shapes. They take turns placing one tile at a time to collaboratively create a map. Land tries to complete land areas, while Sea tries to complete sea areas. Complete areas score one point per tile; land areas for Land, sea areas for Sea. Some tiles grant bonus points to whoever completes the area they are in. Players can strategically complete rival areas to claim bonus points. Other tiles allow players to play their second tile or steal a players tilebut not their last!

The use of two double-sided tiles (one side always revealed and the other hidden until played) means there is partial information to plan around, and a few surprises too. Players replenish up to two tiles from a choice of two open tile piles.

The games strategy involves careful tile placement to score from as many land or sea areas as possible, while minimizing rivals opportunities to score from the tiles you play. Keep track of rivals possible moves and strategically control the tempo with Play Again and Steal tiles. Look for opportunities to claim valuable bonus points in your and your rivals areas. Choose tiles carefully when replenishing your hand to prepare for your next turn.

The game ends when the last tile is placed. The player or team with the most points wins.

The Land vs Sea base game is simple enough for lighter/family gamers. Once youve played the base game, you can unlock more scoring options on the tiles to add surprising depth:

Mountains & Coral score for contiguous chains of mountain (Land) / coral (Sea).
Caravan & Ship score for caravans and ships added to trade routes on the map, and score for each trade route where you have a majority (more caravans score for Land, more ships for Sea) at the end of the game.
Waypoints bonus points you can place on the map to tempt cooperation, or score for yourself.
2, 3 & 4 Player Modes: You can play 1 on 1 with 2 players, or with 4 players in teams with the base rules and any of the additional scoring options. 4-player games use waypoints to prevent alpha players directly instructing their partner.

The challenging 3-player mode uses all additional scoring options in a more asymmetric game. The Cartographer scores by connecting mountain and coral sections, and all players compete for bonus points and points from trade routes.