Switchbacks is a hiking–mountain themed game in which players work together to create a network of trails made from numbered tiles and place their hikers on them. The goal is to build consecutive mountain paths that represent successful trekking stages.

Switchbacks is a light tactical tile‑laying game.
Players take turns placing numbered hex tiles (1–37) onto a shared playing area. When placing a tile, they can choose between two actions:

• Hike – place a hiker on the tile you just added
• Buddy Up – save two hikers for a future double placement (a risky but useful decision)

Hikers score points only if they stand on a sequence of at least four consecutive numbers that forms an unbroken trail. At the beginning of the game, each player secretly removes one tile from play, creating an interesting element of hidden information and bluffing.

Despite its simplicity, the game offers surprisingly tense decisions and the potential for tactical blocking of opponents. It’s ideal for beginners but still engaging for experienced players.

Switchbacks is a fast and pleasant tactical mountain adventure that squeezes a lot of meaningful decisions into a small package. 🏕️🏔️