Obsession: Upstairs, Downstairs

Kayenta Games, 4GAMES, Boardgame Mall · Board game · 2020
1–6 · best 2 Solo 30–90 min Weight 3.6/5
8.9 rating Ludopedia
8.6 rating BGG
How to Play Buy
8.9 rating Ludopedia
8.6 rating BGG
Our Verdict

If you love Victorian mansions and service strategy, this expansion is your next step!

Highlights
  • More servants, more fun
  • New game modes
  • Supports up to 6 players
Keep in mind
  • Requires base game
  • Medium complexity
Learn How to Play Step by Step Check out our complete step-by-step rules guide.
Access Rules Guide
About the game
Obsession: Upstairs, Downstairs is the expansion that brings your Victorian manor to a whole new level of intensity. The idea is simple: add more servants, tiles, and game modes to make the experience even more strategic and fun. The pack introduces four new workers – Hall Boy, Cook, Head Housemaid, and Useful Man – that help you dodge the dreaded Victorian Fate from the base game, letting you focus on serving high‑status guests without being stuck by resource limits. It also opens the table to 5 and 6 players, adding the Howard family and their legendary cook, giving the game a touch of history and humor. The card pool expands with new service and improvement tiles, and a flood of new casual and prestige guests test your hand‑management and worker‑placement skills. Components are well thought out: you can filter guests, bypass prestige limits, find tiles faster, refresh the market easily, and leverage early favors. Finally, the expansion offers three brand‑new game modes: a solo Estate Challenge, a cooperative team play, and a Tableau Obsession mode that changes the scoring dynamic. If you love strategy, service, and that Victorian manor vibe, this expansion will elevate your Obsession experience and guarantee hours of fun.

In short, Upstairs, Downstairs adds depth, more players, and more fun while preserving the core of the base game and adding new layers of strategy and replayability.
Expansion for
Expansions
Rules videos

In English

Rules manual
Rules manual — Obsession: Upstairs, Downstairs English · PDF
Download PDF
BEST PLAYER COUNT
1 REC
2 BEST
3 BEST
4 REC
5 OK
6 OK
WHERE TO BUY
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Game details

Families

Country: England Crowdfunding: Kickstarter Digital Implementations: Board Game Arena Game: Obsession History: Regency Era Misc: Made by Panda
Publisher Kayenta Games, 4GAMES, Boardgame Mall, Lucrum Games, Maldito Games, Strohmann Games, Super Meeple
Designer Dan Hallagan
Artist Dan Hallagan
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does a game take with the expansion?
Average playtime ranges from 45 to 75 minutes, depending on player count and chosen mode.
Can I play with just one player?
Yes, there is a solo mode called Estate Challenge, but the base game works best for 1‑4 players.
What are the main differences between the base game and the expansion?
The expansion adds new servants, more tiles, new guests, support for 5/6 players, and three additional game modes.
Do I need extra components beyond those in the expansion?
No, all necessary components come with the expansion box. You only need the base game.
Is the expansion suitable for beginners?
Yes, but the learning curve is a bit steeper than the base game due to new modes and tiles.
How does the expansion affect scoring?
New guests and improvements generate more points, and the game modes alter traditional scoring rules.