Tzolk‘in: The Mayan Calendar presents a new game mechanism: dynamic worker placement. Players representing different Mayan tribes place their workers on connected gears, and as the gears rotate they take the workers to more valuable actions.
During a turn, players must either place one or more workers onto available spots on the gears, or instead, pick up one or more workers. Placing workers costs corn, which is used as a currency in the game and is also needed for feeding. Picking up a worker allows a player to perform an action depending on the position of the worker. Leaving a worker on a gear as it rotates moves it to a more powerful action.
The game ends after one full revolution of the central Tzolk‘in gear. Construct many bulidings, or please the gods by placing crystal skulls in deep caves.