Wadi is situated in the heat and drought of the ancient Egypt desert, where you irrigate the dry land.

Water is scarce and you try to build your shadoof (a sort of water pump) on the best spots near the riverbed. And pump as much water as possible to the water reservoirs.

The Dilemma

However… to harvest, there must be water in the reservoirs surrounding your shadoofs. You don’t necessarily have to pump the water into the reservoirs yourself. It’s ok if other players do this. Better even.

But if you do not pump and the other player does not pump either, other players might pump all water from the Wadi. Or worse, the water streams down the wadi and the land close to your shadoof remains dry and barren. And that’s something you will want to avoid at all cost!

For 3 and 4 players:

Tactics: 8

Interaction: 8

Strategy: 4

Chance: 4

 

For 2 players:

Tactics: 8

Interaction: 7

Strategy: 6

Chance: 0

Scores based on a scale from 1-10.

 

Playing level: 5

Playing level according to this scale: 1=Game of Goose, 3=Category 5/6 Nimmt, 5=Carcassonne, 6=Settlers of Catan, 8=Puerto Rico

Publishers: Emma Games

Illustrator: Peter Hermans

Availability: Sold out.

Winner of: Saarländischer Spielepreis 2008!

Every game of Wadi contains a talisman. The player in possession of the talisman is the starter. The talisman brings luck, because the starter can profit most from the new situation on the board.

The talisman has been produced in Egypt. Craftsmen heat the glass in an open flame and blow air in it to produce the right form. After the talisman has cooled down, they engrave it and apply colours to it. The colours only become visible after the talisman has been heated in an oven.

Every talisman is handmade. Many different forms and colours are the result. Each game contains a unique specimen!

If you would like to collect them, you’re going to have to buy a lot of games. 🙂