Marrakesh – Essential Edition, a strategic board game by Queen Games (designed by Stefan Feld), takes players to the enchanting Moroccan city where influence, assistants (keshis), and clever planning decide your fate.
Across three seasons of four rounds each, players secretly select three colored keshis behind their screens. These are dropped into the cube tower, where some get stuck and others come out. Players draft keshis of matching colors and use them to perform actions such as harvesting dates, trading at the market, providing water, gaining influence at the palace or mosque, or advancing in research and exploration.
How do you play?
At the start of each round, players choose three keshis behind their screens. After dropping them into the tower, they draft keshis in turn and then activate their actions accordingly. End-of-round and seasonal bonuses apply, and after three seasons the final scoring reveals who earns the most prestige and becomes the new leader of Marrakesh.
Why is this game recommended?
Marrakesh offers deep strategy, elegant mechanisms, and high replay value. The Essential Edition provides a streamlined and more affordable version without compromising on gameplay. Its drafting tower, dynamic player interaction, and variety of strategies make it ideal for fans of engaging euro-style games.
Box contents:
• Game board (reduced format)
• Cube tower
• Player screens
• Keshi tokens (wood and cardboard)
• Wooden markers and score pieces
• Action tiles and resource tokens (simplified set)
• Season and round trackers
• Rulebook available online in English, Dutch, French and German
Game specifications:
Players: 2–4
Age: 14+
Play time: approx. 90–120 minutes
Game type: strategic action selection / engine building
Publisher: Queen Games
Languages: rulebooks available online in English, Dutch, French & German
Box weight: approx. 2.6 kg
Box size: approx. 29.5 × 7.7 × 29.5 cm
Designer: Stefan Feld
Illustrators: Franz Vohwinkel & Patricia Limberger