In the world of board games, some classics deserve a fresh coat of paint. Diamant (2024) by IELLO is a stunning reimagining of the beloved push-your-luck game Incan Gold. While the core gameplay remains faithful to its predecessor, this new edition improves the experience with more premium components and better presentation. Whether you’re a fan of the original or new to cave exploration, this latest version offers an enticing adventure that has captured the attention of our gaming tables over the past few months.
Core Experience
Diamant places players as adventurous explorers delving into the treacherous Tacora caves. The game’s genius lies in its elegant push-your-luck mechanism, where each step deeper into the cave system presents opportunity and danger. What sets it apart from similar games is how it creates genuine tension through its simultaneous decision-making system. If you like party board games but with a little budget this is the one for you.
A complete game of Diamant, consisting of five cave explorations, typically runs 20-30 minutes. It is an ideal filler game or opener for longer gaming sessions. Individual rounds move quickly, usually taking 4-6 minutes each, which helps maintain engagement even when players are forced to retreat early. The brisk pace ensures that even player elimination during a round doesn’t create significant downtime, as a new round is always just minutes away.
We recently played a session with six players that perfectly encapsulated the game’s dramatic moments. During the third cave exploration, our group successfully navigated past several modest treasure cards, collecting 4, 7, and 5 gems. The excitement was palpable as we revealed a spectacular 17 gem cache. But we’d already seen one spider trap card earlier in the round. Five players, drunk on the possibility of more riches, chose to press on. Only Tijana, ever the cautious player, decided to retreat, which was a decision that proved prophetic when the next card revealed was indeed a second spider trap.
From Simple to Stunning
Diamant by IELLO has undergone a striking visual overhaul compared to the older Incan Gold version, presenting a fresh redesign of its components. In Diamant (2024), the game introduces detailed 3D-like elements such as mini treasure chests for each player, vibrant explorer figures, and a modernized game board with rich, atmospheric artwork that enhances the thematic feel of exploring a cave. The gems, now ruby and diamond-shaped, are crafted from translucent plastic, adding a tactile and visual charm to the treasure collection experience.
In contrast, Incan Gold relies on simpler card-based representations and cardboard tokens, which, while functional, lack the elaborate detailing and polish of Diamant. This redesign elevates the game’s aesthetic appeal, offering a more engaging experience while retaining the core mechanics loved by fans of the original.
Diamant Gameplay
Each game consists of five distinct cave explorations. During each exploration, players simultaneously face crucial decisions after every card reveal:
Expedition Card Types:
- Treasure Cards: Displaying gem values from 1 to 17
- Trap Cards: Five varieties (spiders, snakes, lava, rockfalls, and gas)
- Relic Cards: Special treasures worth 5-12 gems (variant rules)
The Scoring System
The scoring mechanism is elegantly simple yet offers interesting strategic decisions. Players collect Rubies (worth 1 point each) throughout their cave explorations. Still, they can exchange five Rubies for a Diamond (worth 5 points) at any time. This conversion mechanism adds extra strategy: do you keep your Rubies separate for flexibility or convert them to Diamonds to make your wealth more compact? In our experience, successful players often balance both, converting some Rubies while keeping others available for odd numbered scoring opportunities.
Decision Points: Players secretly select whether to continue exploring or return to camp after each card reveal. This creates fascinating psychological dynamics, especially when players try to read each other’s intentions.
The Trap System
We’ve found the trap mechanism particularly clever. The first appearance of any trap type serves as a warning. In contrast, a second appearance of the same trap triggers a cave in, forcing all remaining explorers to flee empty handed. This creates an excellent probability puzzle that even experienced gamers find engaging.
Strategy Considerations for Diamant
Through multiple playtests, we’ve identified several key strategic elements, maybe you should try them:
Probability Assessment
- Tracking revealed traps becomes crucial
- Understanding the remaining treasure distribution
- Calculating risk/reward ratios based on current gems
Player Psychology
- Reading opponents’ risk tolerance
- Timing exits to maximize gem collection
- Using others’ greed to your advantage
Relic Strategy
- Balancing the potential value of relics against immediate gems
- Timing solo exits to secure valuable relics
The MultiPlayer Dynamic
One of Diamant’s strongest features is how it scales across different player counts. We’ve tested it extensively with groups of 3, 5, and 8 players, and each count offers a unique experience:
3 Players: More tactical, with each player’s decisions having a greater impact
5 Players: Optimal balance of interaction and personal strategy
8 Players: Creates chaotic fun with more unpredictable outcomes
Learning the Game
The rules can be taught in under five minutes, making it an excellent gateway game.
Minor Critiques While Diamant excels in many areas, we’ve noticed a few minor issues:
- The gem distribution can occasionally feel uneven
- Player elimination can occur early in a round
- The random nature might frustrate strategy focused gamers
Much good, not so much bad about Diamant
Strengths:
- Excellent production quality
- Highly engaging push-your-luck mechanism
- Great scalability across player counts
- A perfect blend of luck and strategy
- Creates memorable gaming moments
Weaknesses:
- Some rounds can end too quickly
- Luck can occasionally overshadow strategy
- It might be too light for heavy strategy gamers
Our final thoughts
After dozens of plays over the past month, the 2024 Diamant has proven far more than just a refined version of Incan Gold. The collaborative genius of Alan R. Moon (of Ticket to Ride fame) and Bruno Faidutti (known for Citadels) shows through in every aspect of this design, even BETTER with the new design by IELLO.
What particularly impresses me is how the game creates natural table talk and tension. The revelation of decisions creates this incredible moment of anticipation that few other games achieve. “Just one more card,” we’ll say, knowing well that overconfidence has been our downfall.
I recommend starting with the base game for families and casual gamers. At the same time, experienced groups should include the relics from the start. While it may not satisfy those seeking a profoundly strategic experience with minimal luck, that’s not Diamant’s goal. It’s designed to create stories and “remember when” moments and succeeds brilliantly at that.
The sweet spot for player count is 5-6 players, though even our 3-player games have been thoroughly enjoyable. The production quality, from the weight of the gems to the satisfying click of the treasure chests, makes this feel like a premium product, elevating it above its predecessor.
At most at 30$, you’re getting a game that works beautifully as both a gateway for new players and a palate cleanser for hardcore gamers. Whether opening game night or closing it after intense strategy games, Diamant has proven its versatility in our group. Very good!
Suppose there’s one thing we’ve learned from countless cave expeditions. In that case, the best gaming experiences aren’t always about complex strategy, they’re sometimes about sharing moments of tension with friends. Diamant delivers these moments consistently, earning its permanent place in my collection. Remember, when you’re deep in the cave, everyone urges you to push your luck again. You should take those gems and run.
