Machi Koro is a tabletopcity-building game designed by Masao Suganuma, illustrated by Noboru Hotta, and published in 2012 by the Japanese games company Grounding Inc. Players roll dice to earn coins, with which they develop their city, aiming to win the game by being the first player to complete a number of in-game landmarks. Machi Koro has been published in eleven languages, with the U.S version being published by IDW Games and Pandasaurus Games. Machi Koro received multiple awards upon its release, and has received two major expansions. A standalone game based off the same mechanics, Machi Koro Bright Lights, Big City, was released in 2016, and a legacy variant was released in 2019.
Gameplay
Players assume the role of mayor of the city Machi Koro and build it, attempting to become the first player to complete four major landmarks. On their turn, players roll one or two dice, earning coins when buildings are activated. Each player's turn consists of three phases: dice roll, collecting income and construction, which includes other income-producing buildings and landmark cards. There are five types of cards, each with their own color and characteristics:
Landmarks: Each player starts with four unfinished landmarks that are developed over the course of the game. The first player to construct all of their landmarks wins.
Primary Industry : These cards represent farms, mines, ranches, and similar industries. They earn the player money whenever anyone rolls the card's activation number.
Secondary Industry : These cards represent shops, services, and other businesses. They earn the player money whenever they roll the card's activation number.
Restaurants : These cards represent restaurants and similar establishments. They earn the player money from any other player who rolls the card's activation number.
Major Establishments : These cards represent major businesses and increase the strategic element of the game. They earn the player money from other players whenever they roll the card's activation number.
Expansions
Two expansions have been released for Machi Koro. The Harbor Expansion, released in 2012, expanded the base number of landmarks from four to six and allow the game to be played by up to five players. New rules were included to improve gameplay by changing how establishments and industries are made available for use/development. Additional industries and establishments related primarily to fishing and shipping were also added. Millionaire's Row, was released in English in 2015, added additional luxury-oriented establishments and high-tech industries, as well as a 'renovation' mechanic, which temporarily closes establishments. In 2015, a Deluxe Edition was released in the U.S. combining the base game and both expansions. In 2016, the standalone Machi Koro Bright Lights, Big City was released, featuring a combination of cards from the base game and both expansions. In 2019, Pandasaurus Games released a legacy variant, Machi Koro Legacy, which changes the game rules and future gameplay each time it is played.
