Power Grid: China/Korea

Power Grid: China/Korea is the fourth expansion of the celebrated Power Grid, adding two double‑sided maps that shift the electricity battle to Asia. The Korean side mirrors the peninsula's political split: North and South Korea each run separate resource markets, forcing players to watch two offers at once and tweak their buying tactics. The rugged terrain raises the cost of building lines, making route selection even more critical. The Chinese map, on the other hand, follows a planned‑economy model. Power plants appear in ascending order during the first two phases, eliminating the usual auction randomness; everyone knows exactly which technologies will be available up to plant #30. From the third phase onward, plant cards are shuffled again, re‑introducing surprise. The Chinese resource market is also lean, demanding careful planning to avoid burning resources and leaving cities – or your wallet – in the dark. Components match the base game: double‑sided boards, resource tokens, plant cards, money and network markers. The new rules dovetail neatly with the existing auction, income and network‑building system, but add regional thematic layers that please both veterans and those seeking fresh challenges without learning an entirely new system. Playtime stays around two hours for 2‑6 players, and a 3.3 BGG weight signals a moderate learning curve, perfect for groups already comfortable with the base game and hungry for more variety. In short, the expansion offers two distinct landscapes, each with regional mechanics that refresh the strategic tension of Power Grid.