- BGG rank
- BGG #882
- BGG rating
- 7.8
Arkwright
- 1–4 players
- 120–240 min
- Complexity 4.6/5
- 2014
- BGG rank
- BGG #1,627
- BGG rating
- 7.4
Salton Sea
2024
Rules assistance for Salton Sea
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 1–4 players
- 120 min
- 12+
- Complexity 3.9/5
For 1 player
Rules assistant for Salton Sea
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Salton Sea is a board game released in 2024 for 1–4 players, 120 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by David Bernal and its main mechanics are Hand Management, Income, and Solo / Solitaire Game.
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About the game
Salton Sea is a unique place located in California, very close to the border with Mexico. The characteristics of this salty lake make it a unique location to generate geothermal energy, which takes advantage of the heat from the planet. In this area of intense geothermal activity, you will drill the ground and extract brine which, once processed, allows us to obtain the valuable lithium and sell it as part of a modern industry, far from fossil fuels, that will allow you to lead the energy transition towards a completely renewable future. Designed by David Bernal and illustrated by Amelia Sales, Salton Sea can be enjoyed alone or in groups of up to four players in sessions lasting about 120 minutes. During the game, players must manage their geothermal lithium extraction companies to obtain the greatest number of points. The extraction of this material and its subsequent processing will be the driving force of your companies. On your turn, place one of your four engineers on one of the available spaces to take an action. There are three different groups of actions: industrial actions (which allow you to obtain an exploration license, drill, extract, process or repair machinery), commercial actions (sell, acquire contract and execute contract), and management actions (research, buy shares, develop the business project or finance itself). It is up to you to manage the engineers at each point of the game to get the most out of your company. However, there is no single path to success. The game will reward you for exhausted land, executed contracts, short-term objectives, company development, or research advances. Will you master the power of the Salton Sea to create the most efficient geothermal company? —description from the publisher
Categories
Designers
Publishers
- Devir
- Hobby World
- CMON Global Limited
- IELLO
Questions and answers
Salton Sea supports 1–4 players according to the catalogue. This range comes from the publisher’s listed player count, so the game can be set up for any group size within it. Some setups, rules and scoring details may still vary by player count, so check your edition’s rulebook for the exact configuration.
The listed playing time for Salton Sea is 120 minutes. This is the publisher’s estimate for a full game. The actual duration depends on the group, the player count and familiarity with the rules: first sessions usually run longer, while experienced groups often finish faster. Setup and teaching time are not included in this estimate.
The catalogue lists Salton Sea for ages 12 and up. This is the publisher’s recommendation and reflects reading demands, rule complexity and small components rather than theme alone. Younger players can often join with help from an adult, so check the age guidance on your edition and consider your group’s experience with board games.
Salton Sea has a complexity rating of 3.9 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a heavy game. The rating reflects how much rules knowledge, planning and decision-making a typical game demands. Expect a longer first teach for heavier games, and use a preparation guide before game night.
Salton Sea belongs to these categories: Industry / Manufacturing. Its main mechanics are Hand Management, Income, and Solo / Solitaire Game. Categories describe the theme and setting of a game, while mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you want something comparable.
The credited designers of Salton Sea are: David Bernal. These credits come from the published game data and name the people responsible for the game’s design, not its illustrators or publishers. Designer pages on MeepleRules collect other titles by the same designers, which helps when you enjoy a game and want to find similar ones.
The catalogue lists Salton Sea as a base game. It can be played on its own with the components in the box and does not require any other title. Expansions, if any exist, add new content or rules on top of it and are listed separately in the catalogue with a link back to this base game.