Big City (1999)

About this game

This game, with its really wonderful plastic bits, is about building a city. Players acquire cards in eight different 'neighborhoods' and then use them to lay out buildings either one, two, or three spaces large. The points they receive for a given building is a base score plus bonuses for the buildings surrounding it. What makes this game really unique is the city hall. Some player must play it (scoring no points for himself) in order for anyone to start placing any structure beyond the simple residences and business.

Does it fit your group?

• Group size. Works with 2 to 5.
• Rules load. At 2.2/5 this is a mid-weight game — expect a proper rules explanation before you start.
• Age. The publisher suggests 10 and up. That rates the rules rather than the artwork, so judge the box yourself for younger players.