# Machi Koro ## General Info - **Year Published**: 2012 - **BGG Rating**: 6.6 - **BGG Rank**: #1384 - **Players**: 2-4 (Best with: 4) - **Duration**: 30 min - **Weight**: 1.52 / 5 - **Designers**: Masao Suganuma - **Artists**: Ian Parovel, Mirko Suzuki, Noboru Hotta, Taro Hino - **Publishers**: Grounding, Devir, Dragonfly Publishing, Gameland 游戏大陆, GoKids 玩樂小子, HaKubia - **Categories**: City Building, Dice - **Mechanics**: Dice Rolling, Ownership, Race, Random Production ## Verdict If you're looking for a quick, light dice-rolling game with a city-building twist, Machi Koro is a charming choice for casual fun. It's all about rolling dice, earning coins, and racing to build your city's landmarks before your opponents. Fast-paced, easy to learn dice rolling Engaging city development and income generation Quick playtime, great for casual sessions Luck-dependent dice rolls can frustrate Limited strategic depth for experienced players RECOMMENDED ## Description Welcome to Machi Koro, the city where you've just been elected Mayor! Congrats! But, hey, the citizens aren't messing around: they want jobs, a theme park, a couple of cheese factories, and maybe even a radio tower. Quite a challenge, considering your metropolis currently consists of a wheat field, a bakery, and a single die. Armed only with your trusty die and a grand dream, your goal is to transform Machi Koro into the largest city in the region. To do this, you'll need to generate income from your developments, build public works, and, of course, 'help yourself' to your neighbors' finances. Just be careful not to become their target too! Machi Koro is a fast-paced game, perfect for 2 to 4 players, where each person aims to develop their city in the most efficient way to complete all landmarks before their rivals. On each turn, you roll one or two dice. If the sum of the dice matches the number of a building you own, that building's effect is activated – and sometimes, your opponents also benefit from your roll (just as you can benefit from theirs!). With money in hand, you can construct a new building or invest in one of your landmarks, increasing your city's wealth for future turns. The first player to erect all their construction landmarks is the big winner! ## How to Play Objective of the Game Welcome, newly elected Mayor! Your citizens have big dreams for Machi Koro, and it's up to you to make them a reality. Starting with just a humble wheat field, a bakery, and a single die, your goal is to transform Machi Koro into the largest and most prosperous city in the region! To achieve this, you'll need to strategically collect income from various developments, build impressive public works, and maybe even "borrow" a little from your neighbors' coffers (just be careful they don't do the same to you!). The first player to successfully construct all four of their iconic Landmarks will claim victory and be crowned the ultimate Mayor of Machi Koro! Preparation (Setup) Let's get Machi Koro ready for action! Here’s how to set up your city: Each player takes their two starting Establishments: one Wheat Field and one Bakery. Place these face-up in front of you – this is the beginning of your city! Next, each player takes their four Landmark cards: Train Station, Shopping Mall, Amusement Park, and Radio Tower. Place these face-down in front of you, indicating they are "Under Construction." If you're playing with fewer than four players, return any unused starting Establishments and Landmarks to the box. Now, let's build the marketplace! Take all the remaining Supply cards (Establishments and Major Establishments) and create separate stacks for each unique card type. Arrange these stacks in order of their dice roll requirements (e.g., Wheat Field first, then Fruit and Vegetable Market last). This forms the central market where players will buy new buildings. Give each player three coins. Form a central bank with the remaining coins. Finally, determine a starting player (perhaps the youngest, or whoever last ate a pastry!) and you're ready to begin! The Turn of Play Players take turns in clockwise order. Each turn is a quick three-phase process: 1. Roll Dice To kick off your turn, you'll roll the dice. At the very start of the game, everyone rolls a single die. Once you've built your Train Station Landmark, you'll have the exciting option to roll either one or two dice on your turn! If you choose to roll two dice, their values are always summed together to determine the activation number. 2. Earn Income This is where your city starts making money! Players earn income based on the dice roll and the effects of the Establishments they own that match that roll. There are four different types of Establishments, each with a unique way of earning income: Red Establishments (Restaurants): These activate on anyone's turn, but you take coins directly from the player who rolled the dice. Blue Establishments (Primary Industry): These activate on anyone's turn, and you get income from the bank. Green Establishments (Secondary Industry): These activate only on your own turn, and you get income from the bank. Purple Establishments (Major Establishments): These activate only on your own turn, and you get income from all other players. Important Income Order: If multiple types of Establishments are activated by the same dice roll, they activate in a specific order: Red Establishments (Restaurants) Green Establishments (Secondary Industry) and Blue Establishments (Primary Industry) Purple Establishments (Major Establishments) This means any payments owed to other players (from Red or Purple cards) are processed before you receive income from the bank! Multiple Copies & Shopping Mall: If you own multiple copies of a single Establishment, their effects are multiplied! For example, if you have three Bakeries and a "2" is rolled, you'd get income for each of them. The Shopping Mall Landmark provides a special bonus: it makes each of your Bakery and Convenience Store Establishments earn +1 income! Coin Transactions Between Players: If you owe another player money and can't afford to pay the full amount, you pay what you can, and the rest is exempted. Your coin total can never go below zero. The receiving player is not compensated for the lost income. If you owe money to multiple players at the same time, payments are processed in reverse player order (counter-clockwise). 3. Construction To end your turn, you have a crucial decision: you may pay to construct one single Establishment OR pay to finish construction on one single Landmark. To construct an Establishment: Pay its cost (shown on the lower left of the card) to the bank, then take the card from the supply and add it face-up to your city. To complete a Landmark: Pay its cost (shown on the lower left of the card) to the bank, then flip the Landmark card right-side up (to its full-color side). Its special effect is now active! You can complete Landmarks in any order you choose. You may only construct one of each type of Major Establishment (those with the special icon). You can build as many unique Major Establishments as you want, but never a second copy of the same one. For all other Establishment types, you can construct multiple copies. Stacking them vertically is a great way to keep track! End of Game and Scoring Machi Koro is a race to build the most impressive city! Play continues clockwise until one player achieves victory by being the first to complete all four of their Landmarks. There's no complex scoring – simply be the first to finish your Train Station, Shopping Mall, Amusement Park, and Radio Tower, and you win! Tips for Winning As a new Mayor, here are a couple of pointers to get your city booming: Prioritize the Train Station: Building your Train Station Landmark early is a game-changer! Being able to roll two dice significantly increases your chances of activating more powerful Establishments and earning more income. Diversify Your Income (and watch out for Red!): Don't put all your eggs in one basket! Aim for a mix of Establishments that activate on different dice rolls and on both your turn and opponents' turns. Also, remember that Red Establishments take money from the roller first, so be mindful of how many you own and how much you might owe others! ## FAQ ### How many players can play Machi Koro? Machi Koro is ideal for 2 to 4 players, making it perfect for a family game night or with a small group of friends. ### What is the average duration of a Machi Koro game? A game of Machi Koro is quite quick! It usually takes 30 to 40 minutes to complete, depending on the number of players and everyone's pace. ### Is Machi Koro a complex game for beginners? Not at all! Machi Koro is super easy to learn, with simple and intuitive rules. It's an excellent starting point for anyone new to the world of board games. ### What is the main objective of the game? Your goal is to be the first to build all four of your landmarks. To do this, you'll need to manage your income well and expand your city with new buildings. ### Does the game involve a lot of luck or strategy? Machi Koro has a good balance. Dice rolling introduces an element of luck, but the strategy of which buildings to buy and in what order to construct your landmarks is crucial for victory. It's a fun mix! ### Are the game components of good quality? Yes, the components are of good quality, with illustrated cards and dice that serve their purpose well. It's a visually pleasing game that's easy to handle. ## Price Comparison ### Best International Offers - **BoardGamePrices.com**: $ 22.99 (https://boardgameprices.com/item/go?source=A&storeitemid=4886641&utm_source=boardgamesbot.com) - See all on BoardGamePrices: https://boardgameprices.com/item/show/9851/machi-koro?utm_source=boardgamesbot.com