Cities

Pair A Dice Games Corner

Cities

Phil Walker-Harding is one of my favorite designers these days.
He’s a machine. He makes really interesting but simple stuff, Sushi Go, Barenpark, Gizmos, Elevensies, and so on.
Cities is no exception, and it's an elegant drafting-type game.

Unlike something like Sushi Go, you’re not just drafting one type of thing, you’re drafting four. So where in Sushi Go you’re getting a blind hand of cards and picking one, on the table in front of everyone are four different elements you need to win the game: objective cards, city tiles, features, and building materials. And you’re drafting them, so maybe the first player gets the best city tile of the lot, but then you can take the best Feature, for example.
You’re building tiny cities. The City Tiles are spaces you can build your buildings on, they also may contain water and green space. You can gain building materials and build buildings in one of four colors.
There are a few things that have intrinsic value, but the two biggest ways you gain points are drafting Objective cards and City-based Objectives. City Objectives have to do with what city you’re playing in. In New York, for example, you’re building tall buildings in rows, while in Rio, objectives are having to build buildings along the water.

The Objective cards on the other had may help or guide what you’re doing. Have a building only one piece high? Some objective cards will give you bonuses for that. Manage to end up with a giant splotch of water, some might give you points for that.

Together, you have a unique game of drafting and building that is really simple and plays in about 30 minutes. It has a unique physical presence on the table, with gorgeous art. Its a great gateway game, or game for families with medium-young children which leaves you wanting more rather than overstaying itself. Plus with 2 “cities” for scoring, there’s quite a bit of replay built in.

Buy it here with in-store pickup at Pair a Dice Games: https://www.pairadicegames.com/games/cities