Kilauea^*

Kilauea is a light-to-medium tactical game for 2 to 4 players aged 10 and up. You build tiki towers to honor the volcano goddess Pele. Great for families.

What's it about?

You play a Mo'o, one of the lizard-like spirits of Hawaiian folklore. To keep Pele calm, you raise tikis around her volcano and on your own personal island. David Bernal and Ferran Renalias designed it, and 25th Century Games publishes the English edition. The rules fit on a napkin. The scoring is where the brain burn lives.

How a turn works

You move your piece around the volcano using a rondel. Once you arrive, you take exactly one of three actions:

1. Cut wood in a forest.
2. Spend wood to build a tiki tower in a volcano area.
3. Spend wood to build a tiki on your own island.

Then play passes to the next player.

Scoring

Scoring happens when the first forest and then the third forest are fully cleared. Each volcano area scores separately.

• The tallest tiki tower in an area is worth 1 point per piece.
• Every other tower is worth 3 points per piece.
• You multiply those values by your matching tikis on your island.

A few extra points come in at the end. Color values shift all game long, so a rival can swing an area away from you with one smart build.

Who is it for?

Games take 40 to 60 minutes. Kilauea fits players who want simple rules with lots of interaction. If you enjoy watching the board and pouncing on openings, this is your game.

Conclusion

Kilauea is a compact, interactive tactics game with a playful tiki look and a clever multiplier twist. Groups that enjoy reading each other will love it. Players who prefer quiet engine building without interference may find it too swingy.