Petropolis (1976)

About this game

From the box: An exciting game about the fortunes of oil: From 2 to 7 players compete for the thrills of being an oil tycoon. The object of the game [is] to acquire concessions in the petroleum producing countries, control them and operate them. The player who obtains the largest number of petrodollars is the winner of the game. This "roll the die and move" game is strongly reminiscent of Monopoly, with petrol-producing countries replacing the streets, telex messages replacing "Chance" cards, and oil platforms and derricks replacing houses and hotels. Visually, it is a stunning game, with beautifully crafted components. Contents: 1 board 27 concession titles 25 telex messages 7 playing markers 2 dice 34 derricks 14 oil platforms 390 petrodollar bills. (The Dutch HEMA edition comes with 30 derricks, 12 platforms and 430 bills. According to the Dutch rulebook the game is designed for 3-7 players.)

Does it fit your group?

• Group size. Works with 2 to 7.
• Rules load. At 1.4/5 this is a light game — explain it in a few minutes, good for a table that has not played much.
• Age. The publisher suggests 9 and up. That rates the rules rather than the artwork, so judge the box yourself for younger players.