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Welcome to Which Game First where we boldly explore the hilariously huge world of board games. Did we unearth any hidden treasures you’ve been missing out on? Let’s find out!
First: We get cute and colorful with our urban planning in Town 66
Next: It’s fun with, finance, bureaucracy, and public opinion in Rise
And lastly: We roll west in Rolled West
Town 66
Designed by: Christoph Cantzler, Anja Wrede
Published by: Oink Games (2022)
Players: 1 – 4
Ages: 9 & up
Playing time: 15 min
Town 66 is a tile placement game where the object is to be the first player to play all of your tiles. There are 36 total tiles in the game with a color and a shape. No two tiles are alike. There are a total of 6 colors (6 of each color) and 6 different shapes (6 of each shape).
Start with 4 tiles. Place a tile, if you can. Tiles are placed in the center and they will form a grid of 6 columns and 6 rows. You must place tiles orthogonally, and they must connect – no skipping spaces. You can not place the same color or shape in any row or column.
On your turn, you can decide to reduce your hand by 1 for the rest of your game.
If you can’t legally place a tile, your part in the game is over. However many tiles are left in front of you is your score. Lowest score will win!
Time to get your kicks … at Town 66
Rise
Designed by: Remo Conzadori, Marco Pranzo
Published by: Capstone Games (2022)
Players: 2 – 4
Ages: 14 & up
Playing time: 60 – 90 min
In Rise, you assume responsibility for the economic and social development of a city.
On various tracks, you can influence how best to provide for your citizens’ well-being, whether through culture, science, or political relations — but all of this can be achieved only in accordance with respect for conservation of the environment and the satisfaction of the population.
The game revolves around ten tracks on which you move your markers to gain further effects and gather influence. The unique and innovative card mechanism, which includes events and tough decisions, will change your decision making from round to round.
Once twelve rounds have been played, players count their points to see who was able to accumulate the most influence in the city.
Rolled West
Designed by: Daniel Newman
Published by: Tasty Minstrel Games (2019)
Players: 2 – 4
Ages: 14 & up
Playing time: 20 – 30 min
Rolled West is a roll n write game where the goal is – of course – the most points!
Each player on their turn will roll four 12-sided dice. The faces of the dice have symbols for resources, such as copper, silver, gold, and wood.
Three of the dice rolled will be used as resources, but the remaining die becomes the type of terrain the player can develop with camps and settlements.
Resources can be used to fulfill contracts, which are lucrative, but expensive. Resources can also act as supplies for wagon trains, another way to score points. Boomtown is where you combine 2 resources to unleash even more bonuses and VP’s
After six rounds of play, highest score wins, and pardner’, that’s how things are done in the Rolled West!