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Arcane Legions
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- 2009
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Xēko Mission: Madagascar
2005
Rules assistance for Xēko Mission: Madagascar
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2 players
- 15 min
- 8+
- Complexity 1.9/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for Xēko Mission: Madagascar
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Xēko Mission: Madagascar is a board game released in 2005 for 2 players, 15 minutes per game, and ages 8 and up. It was designed by Tyler Bielman, Jonathon Loucks, Amy Tucker, Zed Xeko, and Bo Geddes and its main mechanics are Pattern Building.
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About the game
Xēko (pronounced "zeeko") is a collectible card game which has four editions (referred to as "Missions"). These are Mission: Madagascar, Mission: Costa Rica, Mission: Indonesia, and Mission: China. Each Mission highlights common and endangered plants and animals from in the region, and cards from all Missions can be mixed together. In Xēko, each player's objective is to create the strongest, most balanced environment. The game begins with a Hotspot card on to which players can link their “Species” cards. Players link Species cards with other Species cards and battle other players in “Turf Wars” in order to collect “Eco-points” before one of the player’s decks runs out of cards. In addition, “Boost” cards aid the players in Turf Wars, and "Xēko" cards may help or hurt players in acquiring additional Eco-points by permitting changes to the standard game rules. When a player’s deck is depleted, each player counts the Eco-points on his or her cards and the player with the most points wins. Each Mission: Madagascar Starter Set includes 2 endangered Cards, 10 Rare Cards, 2 Hotspot Cards, 36 Common Cards, 1 Extra Large Play Mat, 2 Learn-to-Play Guides, and 1 Rule Book. Xēko cards are made from 100 percent recycled materials and 4 percent of game net sales are donated to Conservation International. It should be noted that it is not necessary to purchase a starter set (around $20 to $30) to play the game. Booster packs (around $4) are just fine for building a deck, and contain a greater variety of cards - including Hotspot cards.
Mechanics
Publishers
- Matter Group LLC
Questions and answers
Xēko Mission: Madagascar supports 2 players according to the catalogue. This is the publisher’s listed player count, so the game is designed for exactly that number of participants. Variants for other group sizes, if any, are described in the rulebook of your edition, so check it before setting up a different configuration.
The listed playing time for Xēko Mission: Madagascar is 15 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 Xēko Mission: Madagascar for ages 8 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.
Xēko Mission: Madagascar has a complexity rating of 1.9 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a light 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.
Xēko Mission: Madagascar belongs to these categories: Card Game, Animals, and Educational. Its main mechanics are Pattern Building. 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 Xēko Mission: Madagascar are: Tyler Bielman, Jonathon Loucks, Amy Tucker, Zed Xeko, and Bo Geddes. 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 Xēko Mission: Madagascar 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.