# Tri*T*Area ## General Info - **Year Published**: 2022 - **BGG Rating**: 6.2 - **BGG Rank**: — - **Players**: 1-4 (Best with: 4) - **Duration**: 45-60 min - **Weight**: — - **Designers**: Masaru Ikeda (池田勝) - **Artists**: Masaru Ikeda (池田勝) - **Publishers**: iop games (イオピーゲームズ) - **Categories**: Card Game - **Mechanics**: Area Majority / Influence, Trick-taking ## Verdict If you enjoy card games with a touch of area control and aren't scared off by trick-taking mechanics, Tri*T*Area might be your next obsession. It's an interesting blend that rewards those who can read the game and position themselves well!Clever area controlTwisty trick-taking mechanicStrategy in few roundsDirect interactionSlight initial learning curveRelies on game readingCan feel a bit tenseRECOMMENDED ## Description Hey board game enthusiasts! Ready to roll up your sleeves and give that brand-new city a major upgrade? In Tri*T*Area, you step into the shoes of a visionary developer, competing to leave your mark on urban development. The goal is straightforward, but the competition is fierce: have the most pieces on the buildings across the four city areas or secure the piece atop the tallest skyscraper. How does it work? Through trick-taking mechanics that echo the classics but with a modern twist. Whoever plays the highest and lowest cards in the suit that dominates the trick earns the right to place their pieces on the board. The game unfolds over three rounds, each with its own challenges and scoring opportunities. In the second round, one card is left out of hand, and whoever has the majority of pieces on the area's buildings scores points. The third round ups the ante: a card must be revealed before play, and scoring follows a similar pattern. In the end, the player with the most points wins the title of best developer in the new metropolis! It's a game that blends area control strategy with luck and reading your opponents' trick plays. Perfect for those who enjoy an intelligent challenge and aren't afraid to compete for every inch of the board. ## How to Play Objective of the Game In Tri*T*Area, players take on the role of developers tasked with the urban development of the new city, Tri*Area (Tritería). The game unfolds over three rounds of development simulation, each introducing slightly different rules. During "meetings," players compete for the rights to construct buildings by making presentations using plan cards from their hand. Players who earn these rights can then build to occupy areas and buildings, aiming to have the tallest building. Points can be earned immediately when placing certain buildings and during evaluation at the end of each round. The ultimate goal is to accumulate the most victory points by the end of the game to win. Preparation (Setup) Initial Setup (Round 1) Place the board in the center of the table, accessible to all players. Place the 4 scoring markers, blank side up, on the "start" space of the scoring track on the board. Determine the start player using any agreed-upon method. The start player removes the four rank 5 plan cards from the 36 cards and sets them aside. The remaining 32 plan cards are shuffled and dealt eight cards to each player. Players hold these cards as their hand, keeping them hidden from others. Each player chooses a color and takes seven blocks of that color. The two unused blocks of each color are set aside. Once ready, proceed to the Meeting Phase. Preparation for Rounds 2-3 Collect all blocks of your color that were placed on the board. Score markers remain in their current positions. The player with the highest score becomes the new start player. This start player adds the four rank 5 plan cards back into the deck. The 36 plan cards are shuffled and nine cards are dealt face down to each player. For Round 2, each player takes eight blocks of their color, setting one aside unused. For Round 3, each player uses all nine of their blocks. Additional Preparation for Round 3 Lead Area Declaration: At the beginning of Round 3, each player declares their intention to be the leader in an area by selecting one plan card from their hand. These cards are simultaneously revealed and kept visible to all players, not mixed with other cards. Selling and Buying Blocks: Before the start of Round 3, players can sell blocks. Starting with the player to the right of the start player, in counterclockwise order, players declare how many blocks they wish to sell and remove them from in front of them. For each block sold, the player immediately gains 3 points, and their score marker is advanced on the scoring track. Fluxo do Jogo The game is structured into three rounds of development simulations. Each round consists of 8 "tricks," followed by a "settlement phase." A trick is a cycle of a Meeting Phase and a Construction Phase. After three rounds, the game concludes. Round Structure Prepare Round 1 Trick (repeated 8 times) Meeting Phase Construction Phase Round 1 Settlement Prepare Round 2 Trick (repeated 8 times) Meeting Phase Construction Phase Round 2 Settlement Prepare Round 3 Trick (repeated 8 times) Meeting Phase Construction Phase Round 3 Settlement Game Over Ações e Como Jogar Meeting Phase One player is designated as the start player of the meeting. The Leader marker is placed in front of this player. Turns proceed in clockwise order, starting with the Leader. On your turn, choose a plan card from your hand and place it face up in front of you. This is your "proposal." You can choose any plan card from your hand. You may support a plan with the same concept (color/suit) as the current proposal, or you may play a plan with a different concept, which is a "counter-proposal." All players must submit one plan card at a time, even if it's not ideal. After all plan cards have been submitted, compare them to determine the two rights holders who will build in the Construction Phase. Players who did not earn the right to build turn their cards face down. Play then proceeds to the Construction Phase. Determining Building Rights The submitted plan cards are reviewed to determine which concept (suit) has the most support (cards in play). Two supporters of the adopted concept will receive the right to build: Rightholder 1: The player who supported the adopted concept and submitted the plan card with the fastest construction speed (lowest number) will be the leader in the next trick and will build first during the Construction Phase. Rightholder 2: The player who supported the adopted concept and submitted the plan card with the largest construction scale (highest number) will build second during the Construction Phase. Tie-breaking rules for concept adoption: If the number of votes for two concepts is tied 2-2, the concept with the larger rank difference between its two supporting cards is adopted. If the rank difference is also equal, the concept (suit) proposed (played) by the leader is adopted. If all players propose different concepts, the leader's concept is adopted. In this case, the leader becomes Rightholder 1, and no Rightholder 2 is granted. Special Rule for Rank 5 Cards (Rounds 2 and 3) In Rounds 2 and 3, a player who plays a rank 5 plan card may optionally change its rank to 0 by paying 1 point, or to 10 by paying 2 points, when determining the rightful owner. This change can occur for all uses, such as playing or if used as a bidding card. Construction Phase The players who earned rights during the Meeting Phase place blocks according to the rules below. Rightholder 1 places blocks first, followed by Rightholder 2. Any other players do nothing during this phase. When placing blocks, if any points are earned from the placement, adjust scoring markers immediately. When construction is complete, place the played plan card face down aside. Rightholder 1 becomes the next lead player and receives the Leader marker. Then, advance to the next trick. If this is the eighth trick, proceed to the Settlement Phase. Placement of Blocks Rightholder 1: Basic Construction (+ Additional Construction) Place one of your blocks on any of the four squares in the area corresponding to the adopted concept (suit). You may place a block on top of a square that already has your own block or another block on it. Rightholder 2: Basic Construction (+ Additional Construction) Place one of your blocks in the same way as Rightholder 1. Optionally, Rightholder 2 may place a second block on top at the same location. The two blocks may not be placed on different spaces. Additional Construction If conditions are met, execute immediately after Basic Construction: If you have placed a block orthogonally adjacent to a block of your own color that has already been placed, you gain the right to additional construction. Optionally, you may place an additional block on top of a square orthogonally adjacent to the building where you placed this turn. This additional block does not have to be in the same area as the proposed concept. Points when Building When a block is placed on an empty square whose space is printed with a score, the player gains that score (+1 to +3) immediately. If an entitled player does not place any blocks when they have the right, they are in "default" and immediately lose points equal to the rank of the card played. (In the case of a 5, a player could pay 1 point to reduce the rank to 0, therefore only losing 1 point.) Players' scores cannot go below 0. Settlement Phase After 8 tricks have been completed, the settlement phase (score calculation) is performed. Check the scores of the current set of accounts in order and move each player's score marker. Fim de Jogo e Pontuação Game End The game ends after the Round 3 Settlement Phase. The player with the most points wins. In case of a tie, victory is shared. Scoring Criteria The following criteria are evaluated during the Settlement Phase: Area Exclusivity (all rounds): The players with the first and second most blocks on the top of buildings in each area receive a specified number of victory points (as indicated on the board and summary card). For ties, first check the heights of the buildings; the taller building wins. If still tied, add the points for 1st and 2nd place and divide, rounding up any fractions. If "add and divide" was needed for 1st place, 2nd place points are not awarded. Tallest Building (all rounds): The player who has the majority of blocks in the tallest building (among all buildings) earns points. If one building is the tallest, the player with the majority of blocks in that building earns 10 points. If there is a tie for building height among two towers, the eligible players earn 6 points each. If three or more buildings are tied, the eligible players earn 4 points per building. For intra-building ties for majority, the player whose block is lower in the building wins the tie. Declaration of Intent (Round 2 only): Each player potentially earns points for the unplayed plan card remaining in their hand. If the player is ranked first in the area scoring for the color corresponding to their remaining card (suit), the player earns points equal to the card's rank. There is no benefit for being ranked 2nd or lower in that area. If the card used for Declaration of Intent is a 5, the number can be changed to 0 or 10 by paying victory points. Lead Area Declaration (Round 3 only): Players score for the number on the card revealed before the beginning of the round. Specifically, a player earns points for the rank of the plan if they rank first in the area indicated by the published plan (suit). A player loses points for the rank of the plan if they rank third or lower in that area. Second place results in ±0 points. If the card used for Lead Area Declaration is a 5, the number can be changed to 0 or 10 by paying victory points. Remaining Block Purchase (Round 3 only): Each player loses 2 points for each block left in front of them (not placed on the board). Dicas para Vencer Strategic Use of Rank 5 Cards: In Rounds 2 and 3, consider carefully when to use your rank 5 plan cards. The ability to change their rank to 0 or 10 by paying victory points can be crucial for securing building rights (e.g., becoming Rightholder 1 with a 0 or Rightholder 2 with a 10) or mitigating losses (reducing a default penalty to 1 point). Mastering Block Placement for Additional Construction: Always look for opportunities to trigger Additional Construction during your turn. Placing a block orthogonally adjacent to one of your existing blocks allows you to place an extra block, which can significantly increase your presence in an area or contribute to a taller building, potentially earning more points. Balancing Immediate Points vs. End-of-Round Goals: While placing blocks on squares with immediate points is tempting, also keep an eye on the end-of-round scoring objectives like Area Exclusivity and Tallest Building. Sometimes, foregoing immediate points to secure a stronger position for these larger scoring opportunities can lead to greater overall success. ## FAQ ### What is the average playtime for Tri*T*Area? A game typically lasts between 45 and 60 minutes, depending on the players' familiarity with the rules and strategy. ### How many players can participate? Tri*T*Area is quite versatile, playable by 1 to 4 people. The dynamic shifts slightly depending on the player count. ### Is the game very complicated to learn? It combines familiar mechanics, but the interplay between trick-taking and area control might require a few plays to master. It's not overly complex, but it demands attention. ### What are the main components of the game? The game primarily consists of cards, used for tricks and determining actions, along with pieces that players place on the board to represent their influence. ### Who would you recommend Tri*T*Area to? We recommend it for those who already enjoy card games with a bit more strategy, like trick-taking games, and appreciate the competition for area control. It's good for players looking for something more tactical than a casual card game. ### Does it have a solo mode? Yes, the game offers a solo mode, allowing you to experience the urban development challenges on your own.