Chichen Itza is a Maya-themed pyramid-building puzzle game for single players or teams, self-paced or competitive racing against the clock. It requires players have 7 sets of colored blocks, three of each color. If you do not have LEGO blocks or useful substitutes, you can use the virtual blocks at the Scratch project-- Chichen Itza Bricks for Virtual Construction https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/381084856 A game of Chichen Itza is played over an agreed number of rounds, usually three. To begin, task cards are drawn and displayed so that they are clearly visible to all players or teams. These task cards determine the conditions the pyramid structure must meet that round to earn points. Next, the timer begins and players place their blocks on their tray, trying to puzzle out a way to satisfy the task cards. The blocks are designed to stack on the player tray in a pyramid: the first level can hold a maximum of nine blocks, and there can be several levels. Once the timer runs out, play stops and points are awarded to the pyramid builders as follows: Gain 1 point for each task that is completed. Gain 1 bonus point for completing all 8 tasks, when possible. Gain 1 bonus point for accurately keeping score using the Maya number system. Builders prepare for the next round by resetting their trays. A new round then begins. At the end of the final round, the player or team with the most points wins. The eight types of task cards have to do with how the blocks are placed and stacked on a pyramid's base plate. Most of the challenge (and fun) in Chichen Itza comes from how these kinds of tasks interact with one another. Levels: These cards use Maya numbers to direct a player or team to place a certain number of blocks on each level of the structure. Symmetry: These cards direct a player or team to create at least one line of shape or color symmetry when building the structure, or to be sure there are no lines of symmetry with shape or colors. Color symmetry can be difficult with odd-numbered blocks, but as long as at least one elevation or the bird's eye view of the completed structure has a line of symmetry (or no side or view shows a line of symmetry), the player or team will receive a point for this card. Above or Below: These two types of task cards direct a player or team to place blocks of a certain color at the top level or the bottom level of the structure. Connected: these blocks must touch, either one block snap-connected to the other, or side by side, or on top (if all players agree at the beginning of the game). Not Connected: the inverse--blocks that must not touch each other, either one block snap-connected to the other, or side by side, or on top (if all players agree at the beginning of the game). You may sometimes create some clever “not touching” placements. Once you have successfully defended your solution as valid, however, you must understand that other players or teams will be able to use the same kind of solution. Quantity: specific quantities of colored blocks that you must include in the pyramid to complete the task; no more and no less. Comparison: specific relationships (greater than, less than, or equal to) between colored sets of blocks in the finished structure. Equation: specific target sums when counting all blocks from two-colored sets included the finished structure. When Task Cards Contradict Since the task cards are chosen randomly for each round, there may be times when it seems they might contradict each other. In such cases, you or your team must decide which tasks you will not attempt as you place blocks on your pyramid base and accept the loss of the bonus point at the end of the round. Some of my favorite gameplay moments have come from when the tasks seem to contradict each other and it looks impossible to complete them all. Then the round ends and you look up to see the solution to the tasks on another team’s tray. The combination wasn’t impossible after all! It is, of course, all the more thrilling when you’re the one to have solved the “impossible” challenge . . . Pyramid Ponderings A real-time game, with constant play instead of turn-based play, with an against-the-clock speed competition, and a multi-layer puzzle that may not have a solution for all the cards has the potential to give students feelings of frustration, anxiety, or tension. When you compete with people who are equally skilled, and you have teammates who have different approaches to the puzzle, the rounds are often so tight that winning often comes down to an individual or team's success at keeping their cool.
Stacking game concept from "Dimensions," designer Lauge Luchau's sphere-stacking game, 2014. Chichen Itza images from Photos for Class: https://www.photosforclass.com/search/chichen%20itza Lego sprites from BrickOwl-- https://www.brickowl.com/catalog/lego-duplo-brick-2-x-2-3437-31460-89461. Timer music from the movie soundtrack for "The Mission," by Ennio Morricone, August 1986.
