Be warned that this is no gamer's game. That having been said, it's certainly high-quality filler, which definitely has a place in my heart and in my collection. I feel like a heretic in saying so because, at a recent convention where I was introduced to it, this game drew plenty of criticism and inspired many upturned noses. I liked it, though, and my only concern is that it'll have a fairly high price tag for what it is.

Marco Polo is a basically a racing game in the same vein as, say, Cartagena, although the first to the finish is not necessarily the winner because, ultimately, it's all about getting points.

Players move camels across the board by playing whatever cards are demanded by the next free space. (It may be cards of all one color or all different colors; it may be cards showing one type of good or only showing caravans.) Importantly, camels leapfrog over those in front of it, so timing is important. You may want to race out in front because being the first player to reach some open spaces acquires points in the form of a treasure chest. On the other hand, blowing a large hand of cards to get there may simply create the opportunity for others to leap gracefully past with a less demanding set of cards. It's not a bad idea to acquire a couple of sets of cards so you can not only move out front but then move on (you can move as many spaces as you can pay for with cards) to create a gap between you and your nearest competitor, so you don't share the wealth of your own card play. Players may then be forced to move over gaps with cards or by paying precious point to do so. On the other hand, the longer you wait to play, the more likely it is that someone else will play cards to take the space, leaving you with a set of cards that is now more or less useless because the next available space (and its requirements for card play) has just changed.

So the game is quite a nice mixture of set collection, bluffing and timing decisions. Moreover, at the end of each turn, you choose a new card from an open selection or a blind draw Alan-Moon style. In this manner, you can gain some information about your fellow players' plans, as you can from the sheer number of cards in their hands.

As I mentioned, points can be acquired along the way by being the first to land on a space harboring a treasure chest. But additionally, there are two scoring phases to the game, one occurring halfway through, and the other when a player reaches the finish line. Each time, players score points depending on their current placement on the track. The closer you are to the scoring space, the more points you get. At the halfway point, the camels are repositioned on the same square, giving lagging players better footing for the second half of the race.

All in all, it's a very fun and fast-paced family game with very attractive bits. I am glad I own it, and it will see a lot of play as a warm-up game or closer. If you're looking for a serious or weighty game, though, you're going to be sorely disappointed.