Machi Koro Card Game First Impressions
In Machi Koro, you’re turning your Wheat Field and Bakery into a buzzing Metropolis.
With the least secure economy ever!
Welcome to the city of Machi Koro. You’ve just been elected Mayor. Congrats! Unfortunately the citizens have some pretty big demands: jobs, a theme park, a couple of cheese factories and maybe even a radio tower. A tough proposition since the city currently consists of a wheat field, a bakery and a single die.
Armed only with your trusty die and a dream, you must grow Machi Koro into the largest city in the region. You will need to collect income from developments, build public works, and steal from your neighbours coffers. Just make sure they aren’t doing the same to you!
You’re gaining income to buy buildings to help gain further income. Eventually, buy the specific building that helps you win the game. It’s really hard to sell the game at this point 🙂
On your turn, you roll a die which determines income for each player on the table. The income you get is determined by whose turn it is and what colour cards you have in your own tableau.
Buildings
Red cards trigger first, these let other players steal from the player who rolled the dice. Nasty, evil cards which slow the game down I think but without them, it would be a dull game.
Then Green and Blue buildings trigger which give you income on your turn (Green) or anyone’s turn (Blue). Green buildings will only trigger on your turn but you earn more than the Blue buildings that can give you income even if you aren’t rolling the die.
Then Purple buildings let you steal from other players. Mwah ha ha!
Then you can buy from a stack of buildings with the money you earned/stole, add it to your tableau and pass the die.
Each player starts with the same 4 buildings under construction and once you build all 4 of these, you win.
One of these gives you the option to roll 2 D6 and add them together triggering buildings that activate on a 7+.
Machi Koro Summary
It’s fun and cute, frustrating and random.
At one point, on my turn, if I rolled a 2 I gained 12 money but on a 3 I lost 10. That’s a big swing considering the most expensive thing to buy is 22.
It’s in my collection though and I look forward to the expansion. 5 Players and more options would be much better.
Jesta ThaRogue
