As the sun sets on the great Mayan empire, in the heart of Chichen Itza beneath the great pyramids and temples, ancient seals that once bound mythical creatures have been broken. The gods and beasts of legend — serpents of the sky, jaguar spirits of the underworld, and other beasts of lore — emerge from the forgotten realms to reclaim the world of mortals. Their siege is relentless, their power immense, as they descend upon the sacred city to consume its glory, but the people of Chichen Itza will not fall without a fight.

In Chichén Itzá, you must command your forces, harness the favor of the gods, and fight the relentless tides of mythical beasts. The game lasts six rounds, with each player taking four actions during each round. During set-up, place 16 (of 21) action tiles in a 4x4 grid, then randomly place four cost markers along the top and side of the grid. If you're the first player to take an action in the round, you pay an amount equal to the lower of the cost markers to the top and side of the tile you choose; anyone who takes this action later in the round pays the higher of the markers. You can choose an action only once per round.

With these actions, you move troops, acquire god cards, upgrade your four combat gears, fight legendary creatures, and reclaim the villages, temples, camps and ruins that have been taken over. At the end of each round, you see whether you've completed particular achievements, and your score is based on creatures defeated, areas controlled, achievements met, heroes present, endgame god cards and crystals collected, and more.