Capitol

In **Capitol**, you’re an ambitious architect in Ancient Rome, competing to build the most impressive structures and dominate the city’s prefectures. The game blends area control, auctions, and a dash of card-drawing luck. Four rounds unfold, each with distinct phases: building (stacking blocks and placing roofs to define height and style), auction (bidding for temples, wells, and amphitheaters that grant bonus points), scoring, and card drafting. The production is gorgeous, with wooden pieces that look like tiny Roman constructions. Pro tip: the first roof in a prefecture sets the style for others—so plan your influence carefully! Whoever best utilizes the 90 blocks and 40 roofs will triumph. Designed by Alan R. Moon and Aaron Weissblum, it’s an elegant classic that still delights fans of territory control and resource management.