Lost Cities Board Game Review
Lost Cities is a two-player card game designed by Reiner Knizia and published by KOSMOS in 1999. It’s one of the most recognizable entries in the Kosmos two-player series, built around a deceptively simple push-your-luck premise: start archaeological expeditions, but make sure what you find is worth the cost of going. With games lasting around 30 minutes and rules accessible to players aged 10 and up, it has stayed in print for over 25 years. This review breaks down how it plays, what’s in the box, and whether it belongs on your shelf.
Lost Cities Overview
The theme puts two players in the role of rival expedition leaders funding archaeological digs across multiple destinations. Each expedition you start costs you 20 points upfront, so the tension comes from deciding whether to commit to a color or cut your losses. You’re always weighing risk against reward, and the card you need might never show up.
Lost Cities earned a 7.3 rating on BoardGameGeek from over 51,000 ratings. It sits at rank 341 overall and 83 in the Family category. The game won the 1999 Meeples’ Choice Award and the 2000 International Gamers Award for two-player strategy.
| Designer | Reiner Knizia |
|---|---|
| Publisher | KOSMOS |
| Year Released | 1999 |
| Players | 2 |
| Age Range | 10+ |
| Playing Time | 30 minutes |
| Game Type | Card Game, Exploration, Set Collection |
| Complexity Rating | 1.48 / 5 |
What’s in the Lost Cities Box
The original edition contains 60 cards split across five colored suits (each representing a different expedition destination). Each suit has cards numbered 2 through 10 and three investment cards (often called “handshake” cards). A game board is included to organize the discard piles and help players keep track of their expeditions. A rule booklet rounds out the box, including a variant for four players using two copies.
The 2018 edition added a sixth color suit, which is optional during play. The cards feature artwork by Vincent Dutrait and others. Card size is 70mm x 110mm. Component quality is solid for a small-box card game — the board is functional rather than flashy, but the card art carries the presentation well.
| Component | Quantity |
|---|---|
| Expedition Cards (numbered 2–10) | 45 (9 per color x 5 suits) |
| Investment / Handshake Cards | 15 (3 per color x 5 suits) |
| Game Board | 1 |
| Rule Booklet | 1 |
Lost Cities Pros and Cons
Pros
- Rules take about five minutes to teach. New players can start making real decisions almost immediately.
- A full match of three rounds fits comfortably into 30 minutes, making it easy to squeeze into a weeknight.
- The investment multiplier system creates genuinely agonizing choices about when to commit and when to fold.
- Strong replay value because card draw order changes the entire decision space each game.
- No in-game text on the cards, so it works across languages without modification.
- Widely available and affordable. Still in print after more than two decades.
Cons
- Strictly a two-player game (the four-player variant requires a second copy and changes the feel considerably).
- Card luck can swing outcomes. Drawing your needed cards late — or not at all — can feel punishing.
- Experienced players sometimes find the decision tree narrow compared to heavier two-player games.
- Negative scores on expeditions you’ve barely started can frustrate newer players.
How to Play Lost Cities
Setup
Place the board between both players. Shuffle all 60 cards (or 70, if using the sixth color) and deal eight cards to each player. The remaining deck goes face-down beside the board.
Turn Structure
Each turn has exactly two steps. First, you must play one card — either adding it to one of your expeditions or discarding it face-up onto the matching color’s discard pile on the board. Second, you draw one card, either from the top of the face-down deck or from the top of any discard pile.
Cards played to an expedition must go in ascending numerical order. You don’t have to play consecutive numbers, but once you place a 7, you can never add a 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6 to that expedition later. Investment cards count as lower than 2, so they must be played before any numbered card in that color.
End of Round and Scoring
The round ends when the last card is drawn from the deck. Each expedition with at least one card is scored. Add up the face values of all numbered cards in that expedition, then subtract 20. If you played investment cards, they act as multipliers: one investment doubles the total, two triple it, three quadruple it. The multiplier applies to negative totals too, so a bad expedition gets worse with investments. Any expedition with eight or more cards earns a 20-point bonus on top of everything else.
A full game consists of three rounds. Add up the scores across all three to determine the winner.
Scoring Examples
| Expedition Cards | Calculation | Total |
|---|---|---|
| 2, 3, 7, 8, 10 | (30 − 20) x 1 | 10 points |
| 2 Investments + 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10 | (40 − 20) x 3 + 20 bonus | 80 points |
| 1 Investment + 4, 6, 7 | (17 − 20) x 2 | −6 points |
Lost Cities Game Mechanics
The core of Lost Cities runs on hand management and push-your-luck. You’re constantly deciding which expeditions to invest in and which to abandon. Since cards must be played in ascending order, holding onto low cards for too long can lock you out of an expedition entirely. But playing them too early commits you to spending that −20 before you know if you’ll draw enough high cards to profit.
The discard piles add another layer. Anything you throw away becomes available to your opponent. So discarding a card you don’t need might hand them exactly what they’re looking for. This indirect interaction — feeding or starving your opponent through your discards — is where much of the skill lives.
Set collection ties the whole thing together. You’re assembling runs within each color, trying to hit the thresholds that turn a losing expedition into a profitable one. The card game format keeps everything moving fast, but the decisions carry real weight each turn.
Who Should Play Lost Cities
Lost Cities is a strong pick for couples or any pair of players looking for a quick, competitive card game that doesn’t take an hour to set up. It works well as a gateway game for people new to the hobby — the rules are minimal, but the decisions feel meaningful from the first play.
If you enjoy games like Jaipur or Schotten Totten, Lost Cities fits the same niche: fast two-player card games with simple rules and tense choices. It leans slightly more toward luck than those titles, which might put off players who prefer tighter control over outcomes.
Skip it if you primarily play with groups larger than two, or if you’re looking for a game with heavy strategic depth. Lost Cities does one thing — quick, tense, two-player card play — and it does it well. Just don’t expect it to replace a meatier strategy game on game night.
Where to Buy Lost Cities
| Retailer | Notes |
|---|---|
| Amazon | Wide availability, various editions |
| BoardGameBliss | Specialty board game retailer |
| Cardhaus Games | Competitive pricing on board games |
| Noble Knight Games | New and used copies available |
| eBay | Secondhand and out-of-print editions |
FAQ
Is Lost Cities good for beginners?
Yes. The rules fit on a single page, and most players pick up the flow within a round or two. The decisions are easy to understand but hard to master, which keeps new players engaged without overwhelming them. It’s one of the better entry points into modern card games.
How long does Lost Cities take to play?
A single round takes about 10 minutes. A full game of three rounds wraps up in roughly 30 minutes. Setup is almost instant — shuffle, deal, and go. It’s quick enough to play two or three full games in a single sitting without losing momentum.
What is the best player count for Lost Cities?
Two players. The game was designed specifically for two and works best that way. A four-player variant exists but requires a second copy and changes the dynamic considerably. If you need a game for larger groups, look elsewhere.
Is Lost Cities worth buying?
If you regularly play games with one other person, absolutely. It’s inexpensive, easy to travel with, and has stayed popular for over 25 years for good reason. The push-your-luck tension holds up well over dozens of plays. It’s less appealing if you rarely play with just two.
What games are similar to Lost Cities?
Jaipur, Schotten Totten, and Hanamikoji all occupy similar space: fast two-player card games with simple rules and meaningful decisions. Keltis, which won the 2008 Spiel des Jahres, is actually a reimplementation of Lost Cities adapted for up to four players with a board.
