Show Business (2010)

About this game

Show business is a pretty heavy economic game for 2 to 5 players aged 14+ with play time 45 min – 2 hours. You act as manager of music group playing one of 5 major music styles: rock, pop, black (african/afroamerican rooted, e.g. rap, soul, R&B), jazz, club (electronic dance music) and compete with other managers to gain fame and money for you and your musicians. Employ best musicians and motivate them to write popular songs. Forecast market trends and influence media to have songs of your group on top of charts. Use your contacts in branch and hire professionalists available on the market to support your group as well as to sabbotage successes of your competition. Contract most lucrative concerts and travel with your tournees around Europe. Take care of highest possible satisfaction within a group in order to have your musicians as long as possible with you. It is one year time for you to lift up your debutants on top of popularity. Gain fame and money greater than your competitors.

Does it fit your group?

• Group size. Works with 2 to 5.
• Rules load. At 3.9/5 this is a heavy game — read the rulebook before people arrive.
• Age. The publisher suggests 13 and up. That rates the rules rather than the artwork, so judge the box yourself for younger players.