Pushing your luck, one cave at a time
Table of Contents
Specifications
Mechanics: Push Your Luck, Exploration, Simultaneous Action Selection, Hidden Points Store, Rubies and Diamonds, Scary Traps, Watching Everyone's Face When You Take the Diamonds and Leave Safely.
Player Count: 3-8
Playing Time: 30 mins
Ages: 8+
From the Website:
‘Diamant is a clever, fast-paced stop-or-go game that takes you on an incredible adventure. Enter the Tacora cave in search of forgotten treasures, but tread carefully or you could fall into a trap and lose all your diamonds.’
It All Starts at Base Camp
There is something about a good ‘push your luck’ game that always draws me in, and although some might see them as simple and luck based, the reality is there is something a little bit exciting and lots of fun. I would also argue there is skill in knowing when to stop and consolidate your wins, there is a knack to understanding the odds in a game, and there is something quite brilliant about leading your opponents into bad decisions and being there to smile when it all goes wrong!
Diamant is an easy game to learn and pick up, with a simple rule book only 8 pages long, making it incredibly accessible for gamers and non gamers of all ages.
Diamant is centred on your game board or the camp in the middle of five 5 entrances to pushTacora cave (sadly not a real place). Tacora is known for its Diamonds, and through the game of Diamant, you will explore each of the 5 cave systems searching for these precious stones. Once you have completed the 5th exploration, the game will end at which point you will compare your findings and the player with the most Rubies and Diamonds wins. Simple? Yes, but be careful, the caves are not as safe as they first seem……
What About Those Chests?
I have to say before we look at how the game plays, we have to mention the components. For what is a small, very reasonably priced game, the pieces you get are really nice. Each player receives a unique wooden explorer figure with a matching set of decision cards, and I particularly like the treasure chest. Each player starts the game with a unique solid chest, used to store your treasure and keep your current position secret from your opponents. I think these are a nice touch, and I genuinely enjoyed the clean up phase where you get to stash your gems inside.
So, How Do I Get Those Rubies?
Each of the 5 rounds has two phases: Cave Exploration and Player Decisions.
During the cave exploration phase, you will take turns revealing the top expedition card of the deck and placing it face up next to the cave entrance, creating a pathway through the cave. Once placed, you move each of your cave explorers onto the card. This could be one of three things.
- A Treasure card: each treasure card will have a number in the corner and once revealed, this tells you how many rubies have been discovered. You share these equally between each player, leaving any spare on the card - don't worry you will get a chance to pick these up later!
Any Rubies you gather in this way are placed next to your chest; spoiler alert, they are not safe yet!
- A Trap Card: As well as treasure cards you will find trap cards. No self respecting cave would be without a good trap! There are 5 types of traps in the game, 3 copies of each. As you explore the Tacora cave system, you run the risk of encountering and triggering one of its defences. Now, the first time you see one of these cards, it's all OK. You are not phased and can carry on regardless. If you encounter the same kind of trap again, however, you lose your nerve running scared from the cave dropping any rubies you have obtained on the way! Nightmare!
This is the crux of the push your luck mechanic in this game. The further you push into the cave the more rubies and diamonds you find BUT the more likely you are to spring the trap that ends the round, meaning you leave with nothing.
The last type of card is the Relic card:
- Relics are a variant of the game, which I do not understand why you would play without. It does not add more complexity but does add another twist! When you uncover a relic, nothing happens; it is another section of the mine that you move your explorers on to. The 5 relic cards are in ascending order from 5 to 12 Rubies. Each round, you shuffle one into the exploration deck. If, however, you choose to leave the mine and there is a relic card in play, providing no one else has also left at the same time, you get to take it with you! Timing this is crucial, but to explain that I need to talk about the Player Decision Phase
Making Good Life Choices
Diamant, at its heart, is a game about the most important life choice you will ever make: When is enough, enough? In this case, when should I return to camp? Or when is it right to throw caution to the wind and explore one more cave space? This is where the magic happens.
I told you at the start that each player receives a set of decision cards: Continue (Push further into the dark cave in a desperate attempt to find more shiny, precious stones) or Return (realise you do not need this stress in your life, skip happily back to your tent comfortable in the knowledge your loot is safe in your treasure chest).
After each exploration card is resolved, and as long as a second matching trap has not been triggered, each player simultaneously makes a choice. Secretly, you choose which card you are going to use, and then when everyone is ready, you reveal your master plan!
Timing is everything. Picking the right time to return can change the game! Firstly, returning to the campsite is the only time you bank your rubies, that is, securely in your chest at which point they are safe for the remainder of the game. Secondly, if any rubies are left behind on a treasure card(See above), you can collect them all on the way out! If more than one of you reveals a return card, they are shared. If you time it well, you could be sweeping up and ensuring your opponents are left with nothing. This is also the only time you can collect a Relic. If a relic card is out, and you are the only person returning to camp that round, you can take it. This can be another moment of joy or disbelief.
The player decision phase feels a bit like a tick box, a nothing moment. Of course, we are all going to explore further. As the tension starts to build, you start to second guess each other, and nervous banter starts to rise. They wouldn't return now, would they?
Like all good push your luck games, battling your inner push gremlin, the voice inside your head that makes you reach for just one more, is the challenge of the game. Mine sounds like Golem: “Thinkz of all the rubies-iz”, “we wantz it, my precious”, and so on. Can you stop yourself from taking one risk too many?
Ending the Game
You repeat this cycle for each of the 5 caves. Once you return to camp for the last time, hopefully having made a good decision and not running from a trap that has been triggered, the game ends.
The player with the most Rubies and Diamonds in their treasure chest at the end of the game wins, you are the most successful explorer.
Final Thoughts
Diamond in the cave or simply a gas trap?
If you are looking for an in depth strategy game with multiple mechanics and end game scoring strategies, Diamant is not for you.
Diamant is a simple, nicely designed, fast paced, push your luck game. A game about taking risks and deserting your opponents in the cave, only to smile sweetly as you take all the rubies. It is a game that will push you to take just one more card, feeding off your greed for more and then revealing the exact card that ends the game.
This is why I love Push your luck games. It’s the buzz, the rush of risking it all on the next draw. Or that incredible feeling when you smugly exit the cave only to see your opponents lose it all on the flip of the next card.
I do want to say this is not just a game of simple luck, though that plays a big part. it's about taking calculated risks, knowing how many traps are in the exploration deck, what has been drawn and which treasure cards might be left to come.
Diamant is a game not to be taken seriously; it is just good fun. At 30 minutes, it's a great filler on a game night or perfect for one of those evenings when you just want something less serious to play. With a player count of 3-8, it is great for a larger group, too.
This is also a game for all generations that can be enjoyed by children and adults alike and is very accessible for the less experienced gamer. So, for me, it's a great game to have in the collection.
Score
7/10
| Pros | Cons |
| Simple rule book and gameplay that's easy to pick up | Not a deep strategy experience |
| Nicely designed components, especially the treasure chests | A large amount of luck |
| Brilliantly fun, push your luck game | Too many traps |
| Stab your friends in the back as you leave first and steal the rubies! | Feeds my push your luck gremlin - just one more……… |
You Could Also Try…
If you enjoy push your luck games but want a slightly bigger game, why not try MLEM: Space Agency? A wonderful game of sending cat astronauts into space trying to reach the far extremities of the galaxy. A favourite in our household and well worth a play.
Shop all things board games right here at Gathering Games.
Diamant (2024 Edition)
£16.99
£19.99
Description A brand new version of the hit push-your-luck game! Explore the jungle cave to secure precious gems. Travel deeper for more reward, but make sure you can get back out to tell the tale! Diamant — also published as… read more
