Machi Koro: A Mayor’s Job is Never Easy

In the card game Machi Koro, you’ve just been elected the city’s first mayor. While this is certainly a cause for celebration, you’ll find that just because it’s a small town doesn’t mean that it’s going to be an easy job. Your citizens want to turn your sleepy little town into a big and bustling city complete with a theme park and radio tower. You’ll have to use your die to help build Machi Koro into a city fit for your residents.

Rolling the Dice

Machi Koro is played with a set of cards, a few coins, and a pair of dice. The goal of Machi Koro is to be the first mayor to build the four landmarks of your small town. Your citizens want a Train Station, a Shopping Mall, a Radio Tower, and an Amusement Park. Sadly, all you have right now is a Wheat Field and a measly Bakery. You’ll have to collect income and roll the dice to construct your buildings and win the game.

Each building has a certain coin cost in order to be built. Players begin with $3 in coins and will have to collect income as the game goes along. You can collect income any time that either you or another player rolls the die to a number matching the activation number on your establishments. 

There are four types of establishments. Each one is activated in a different way, allowing you to collect income whenever the die rolls on a certain number. Restaurants are activated on other player’s turns. For example, if you have a Café with an activation number of 4 and another player rolls a 4, then you get to collect coins from the active player. Primary industries are activated on any turn, allowing you to collect money from the bank. 

Secondary industries are activated on your turn, as are Major Establishments. However, while the activation of Secondary industries allows you to collect money from the bank, the activation of a Major Establishment allows you to perform whatever actions are described on the card.

Constructing Buildings

In addition to the four landmarks you need to construct in order to win the game, you’ll have to construct several types of buildings. You can construct one building at the end of your turn, choosing to build either a building in your supply or an unconstructed landmark. When you construct a building, you can start earning income on it. 

When you construct a landmark, however, this activates a special ability. The Train station allows you to roll up to two dice instead of just one. The Shopping Mall earns you additional income for establishments with cup or shop icons. The Amusement Park gives you the ability to take two turns when you roll doubles, while the Radio Tower lets you roll twice whenever you choose.

Machi Koro Expansions and Sequels

Machi Koro has released a few expansions and sequels that give this dice and card game new themes and mechanics. Machi Koro: Harbor Expansion adds variety by adding three more landmarks, including City Hall, the Harbor, and the Airport. It also allows for an optional fifth player. Machi Koro: Millionaire’s Row adds a new Renovation mechanic, stopping certain establishments in your supply from being activated.

Machi Koro Fussball forces you to construct a stadium to host the World Cup, making it the perfect sequel card game for soccer lovers. There’s also a fun sequel card game called Machi Koro: Bright Lights, Big City that turns your small little town into the hottest tourist destination around! This sequel game also accommodates up to 5 players and features an even faster pace.

Build Your City from Scratch with Machi Koro

Machi Koro is playable by 2-4 players, although some of the expansions and sequels do allow an optional fifth player. It’s suitable for ages 10 and up, so younger players can easily join in on the fun of rolling the dice and collecting the cute little coin tokens. Playing time lasts around 30 minutes, which is perfect for getting a short round in on a weeknight.

Buy Machi Koro today and enjoy the simplicity of being a small-town mayor!

 

Citadels: Building A City Has Never Been So Ruthless

Citadels takes the concept of city-building and turns it into a race full of back-stabbing, theft, and deception. In this fantasy board game, you’ll take on different roles as you attempt to be the first to construct eight buildings and win the game. You’ll love the opportunities for throwing a wrench into your opponent’s plans as you take on the role of the deadly Assassin or malicious Warlord. With Citadels, you’ll find there’s nothing that you won’t do for your city.

Choose Your Character

Citadels is played in rounds in which each player takes on a new role. These roles represent the newest character you’ve hired to help you acquire gold and construct your buildings. At the beginning of each round, the player that was King on the previous round will randomly discard one of the eight character cards and choose one from the rest. Then, they’ll pass the cards to the next player, with everyone taking a card until each player has their own secret character.

These characters all have different unique abilities that can help you either get more gold, construct buildings, or hinder your opponents. Depending on what your strategy is and what your current needs are at the beginning of the round, certain characters can help or hinder your mission. 

The characters will perform their actions in numerical order, beginning with the Assassin. The Assassin will eliminate one of the other characters from the round, while the Thief will steal gold from whichever character you choose. The Wizard can swap building cards with another player, while the Warlord can destroy a building.

Choosing your character is a decision not to be made lightly, so be sure to plan ahead if you want to make the most of each round. However, you’ll also have to anticipate the moves of the other players if you don’t want to be caught off guard.

Constructing Buildings

The goal of the game is to earn the most points, which you earn by constructing buildings. The game begins with each player being given a certain number of building cards. These come in five different colors, each of which can provide you with a different ability provided you have a specific character that round.

Each turn, a player is given the choice between earning two or more gold or drawing two building cards and discarding one. Then, each player is allowed to construct one building if they choose (or as many as three when playing the role of the architect). In order to construct your building, however, you must have the amount of gold indicated by the symbols on the card.

Buildings are worth a certain number of points when you build them. You can also earn bonus points by constructing buildings of each color or by being the first player to build eight buildings. Once all eight buildings have been built by one player, then the game ends and everyone tallies up their points.

Citadels Expansion

Citadels comes with an expansion called Citadels: The Dark City that allows you to play the board game with up to eight players. It also includes additional elements such as the Quarry, which allows you to build identical districts to the ones you already have. If you order the 3rd Edition of Citadels, then you automatically get the expansion.

You can also earn bonus points with the Imperial Treasury, giving you a boost at the end of the game equal to the amount of gold you have. You can also earn bonus points with the Fountain of Youth or the Wish Fountain, which earns you points equal to the number of purple buildings you construct. 

Be the First to Build Your City with Citadels

Citadels is playable by 2-8 players, which makes it just as good for one-on-one games as it is for a family game night or a group of friends. It’s suitable for ages 10 and up, which makes it a good game to play with both adults and children together. Playing time lasts around 20-60 minutes depending on how many players you play with.

Buy Citadels today and enjoy the ruthlessness of city politics!

 

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