Neue Heimat

Neue Heimat is a tactical auction game that puts players in the shoes of real‑estate speculators in a newly developed city district. Two to five participants compete over three building rows. The floors are coloured cubes numbered 1 to 6; a colour only enters play when the first player buys a cube of that hue, and that colour then determines who controls the entire building. Each cube is worth its printed number in victory points, and stacked floors add their values together.

Turns consist of auctions: players spend 1‑million‑euro checks to win cubes, but they can also bid for tiles that shorten or lengthen the rows and for rooftops that finish houses. Additional permits let you alter the number of construction sites, and an optional “illegal cashbox” lets you trade a check for a guaranteed point at game end. The game ends as soon as two of the three rows are completed (or when all rooftops are exhausted). Buildings in the finished rows score positive points, while the third row, which never counts for scoring, yields negative points for anyone with constructions there.

Despite its simple look, the game demands sharp decisions: when to pay a premium for a high‑numbered floor, how to secure colour control, and whether to sacrifice cash for safe points. The 3D wooden cubes give a tactile charm, and the urban speculation theme creates a vibe of negotiation and risk. With a playtime of about 45 minutes and a light weight (2.6/5), Neue Heimat appeals to fans of strategic bidding and economic building games, though it may be a bit steep for newcomers still learning auction mechanics and colour ownership.