Designed by Nicolas Oury; published by Rio Grande Games / Ystari; 2 to 5 players; ages 9 and up; $27 (approximate).
Mykerinos, a middleweight strategy game, was nominated for a 2006 International Gamers Award in the multi-player category. Deservedly so, because Mykerinos packs more gameplay into a shorter time than almost any other game I've ever played.
Players are archaeologists digging in Egypt to find precious artifacts for display in a museum. Choosing excavation sites wisely, calling on wealthy patrons at key times, and securing good spots in the museum are all essential to scoring enough points to win the game. The theme is not very deep (it never feels like you're actually part of an archaeological team), but it does add color to the game.
