BoardGameArchiveThe Voyages of Marco Polo
Roll dice, compete for action spaces, fulfil contracts and travel across Asia. Learn the original 2015 game, its character powers and the best next steps.
Asymmetric character powers make each route through the game feel different.
The Voyages of Marco Polo at a glance
The Voyages of Marco Polo is a competitive dice-placement strategy game for 2–4 players, designed by Daniele Tascini and Simone Luciani and originally published by Hans im Glück in 2015. Travel from Venice toward Beijing, complete contracts, gather money and goods, and establish trading posts that unlock useful city rewards.
This game is renowned for its strong asymmetric character powers: the advantages are substantial enough that a player’s opening plan can look completely different depending on which character they receive. Dice values and shared action spaces create tactical pressure, while travel routes and contract requirements reward long-term preparation.
The original page described the game as heavy, with 40–100 minutes of playtime and a suggested age of 12+. These are approximate guide figures; actual session time depends heavily on group experience. This hub covers the original standalone base game, not the new Deluxe Master Set rules.
Why we love The Voyages of Marco Polo
Dice placement creates tactical pressure while character powers are strong enough to reshape strategy completely, producing very different routes through the same economic system. You have to turn modest dice actions into profitable contracts and meaningful progress across the map.
The satisfaction comes from connecting decisions: the route you choose affects the bonuses you can access, the resources you spend on travel affect which contracts you can complete, and strong character abilities can change the relative value of otherwise standard actions.
Rules overview: dice, contracts and travelling
Original rules summary: At the start of each round, players roll their dice and place one or more on action spaces. Actions provide resources, contracts, money and travel. Completing contracts converts goods into rewards, while traveling establishes trading posts in cities that provide immediate or recurring benefits. Personal character powers significantly modify normal rules.
- Roll dice: your available values affect which action spaces and strengths you can use.
- Place dice on shared actions: use one or more dice for resources, money, contracts or travel, following the cost and placement restrictions on the board.
- Fulfil contracts: turn collected goods and resources into the printed rewards.
- Travel: pay the required costs to advance along routes and establish trading posts in cities.
- Score: combine your earned points with relevant endgame bonuses, consulting the final rulebook for exact scoring.
These are learning steps rather than a replacement for all dice-placement exceptions, route tolls, city bonuses or special character texts. See the existing step-by-step How to Play guide for more detailed rules.
Four central systems
Use dice values as action access, strength and timing constraints.
Build an efficient goods-to-rewards engine rather than collecting resources without a plan.
Open trading posts, claim new city benefits and align movement with longer-term scoring.
Interpret each power as a strategic advantage that may change the usual priorities.
Key decisions and beginner strategy
Original editorial analysis: contracts create the economic engine, but travel creates access to stronger bonuses and endgame goals. Efficient play links both instead of treating them as separate scoring plans.
Before each action, ask what it unlocks next. A resource action is better when it completes a contract quickly; a travel action is stronger when it opens a valuable city, advances an objective or reduces future costs. You should also monitor whether your character ability makes normally expensive actions easier to take.
Dice strength matters, but a high die is not automatically more valuable if using it now strands you without money or the required resource later in the round. For additional planning advice, read the existing Voyages of Marco Polo strategy guide.
Who should play The Voyages of Marco Polo?
The Voyages of Marco Polo suits players who enjoy dice placement and contracts, with room to build a plan while reacting to shared incentives. Its heavy weight makes it a better fit for groups comfortable tracking several connected systems.
Good fit: people who like asymmetric eurogames, finding efficient routes, managing limited action spaces and turning contracts into points. Less suitable: a group looking for a very light travel game or players who prefer minimal rules and little competition over shared action options.
For a first session, focus on the core contract-and-travel connection before trying to optimize every character exception.
Marco Polo Deluxe Master Set — November 2026
Board&Dice is bringing The Voyages of Marco Polo and Marco Polo II together in a Deluxe Big Box with Agents of Venice, solo bot support and fifth-player modules. The publisher’s advertised Gamefound preview prices are €99 for the Big Box and €169 for All-In, before taxes and shipping. The eventual fulfillment date has not been confirmed in the reviewed announcement.
This project does not make the original base game obsolete. The current page remains the guide for the 2015 game, whereas the dedicated deluxe article covers the two-game collection, editions, future release information and buying choices.
Read the complete Marco Polo Deluxe Master Set comparison and release guide.
Learn The Voyages of Marco Polo in depth
The Voyages of Marco Polo FAQ
How many people can play The Voyages of Marco Polo?
The original base game supports 2–4 players. The 2026 Deluxe Master Set plans a fifth-player module.
Is Marco Polo II required?
No. The original Voyages of Marco Polo and Marco Polo II are two distinct standalone games.
What is the main mechanism?
Dice placement drives the actions, supporting contract completion, resource collection and travel.
Why are characters so important?
Character powers are deliberately asymmetric and can substantially change how you value actions, travel costs and opportunities.
What is the main strategic choice?
Balancing contracts for economic rewards against travelling to open city powers and satisfy scoring objectives.
Does the Deluxe edition add solo play?
Yes. Official solo bot support is planned for the Deluxe Master Set, but it should not be confused with a mode included in every original 2015 box.
Sources, edition scope and editorial details
Original publisher and edition: Hans im Glück, The Voyages of Marco Polo (2015), designed by Daniele Tascini and Simone Luciani. For rules and exact component text, refer to the applicable official printed rulebook.
Current collection: Board&Dice’s Marco Polo Deluxe Master Set project and official Gamefound preview.
Editorial update: 9 November 2026. This V3 migration preserves the original 2015 base-game scope, factual rules summary, comparison links and SEO topic while replacing the old layout and ad scripts. Where editions differ, follow the relevant edition rulebook. Editorial policy and corrections.