Machi Koro: Deluxe Edition

Originally my wife bought the base game and after playing that for a few times we got bored of it because there was only 4 landmarks to build. We thought to buy the individual expansion packs but those were going to be expensive so we ended up buying this deluxe version. It came out a little cheaper than if we would've bought the expansion packs. When they arrived we opned them up and the cards were warped and one of the landmarks was labeled Amusement park and on the back had the Airport on it, but that is okay and I am giving them 5 stars because I brought it up to IDW games via email and they were prompt to respond and fix the issue by sending me the new cards.Its a fun game and we love playing it with friends either individual cities or sometimes we play as "business" partners where we team up and make the decisions together which increases the difficulty since we have our own ideas and strategies on how to win. The Harbor and Millionaires Row expansions definitely add a different game play aspect to it with renovations and being able to disable another players main income if they have a strong strategy. Overall we love this game and can't wait for another expansion pack to be released.They include premium currency, which is just a shinier version of the coins from the base game, but they also include "Diamine" which is just like the mine card but has cute little monsters on the card. A cloth bag is included to keep the coins in as well, but we leave a paper plate in the nice Metal Tin that they deluxe version comes with, as opposed to the cardboard box of the base game. We leave the paper plate in there because we put the cards on a lazy susan so we can rotate and read the cards easier on the table.

We love this game! Basically, it's Sim City meets Settlers of Catan, meets Dominion/ Legendary.Your goal is to get your 4 City Landmarks "built" before the other players so that you get the credit for building the city, Machi Koro. In order to do this, you have to strategize in how you build farms, grocery stores, bakeries, mines, TV Stations, and the like, to get the resources you need so you can build (flip over) your 4 major landmarks.The game is quite fun just with the original set, but the expansion sets do add a little more in-depth playing that allows you to create your own strategy style of building and stealing from other players.Like Catan, the dice are either your best friend getting you the resources you need, or your worst enemy- causing you to not get resources, or possibly for your opponent to steal them from you. But, as with Dominion, if you build your deck with good strategy, you can often easily overcome a lot of bad rolls with a few good ones.The game is very easy to pick up if you've played any games like Dominion, Legendary, or Ascension. If not, the rules are simple enough I would use it as an entry game for people who might find Legendary or Dominion a bit daunting to try.

Machi Koro's a fun game, easy to learn, and great for a warm up game at a game night or something. It's almost like a faster and more fun Suburbia.The base game by itself leaves a little to be desired, as there are a small handful of strategies that seem overpowered, but the expansions in this deluxe edition add a LOT of variation. It's really a completely different game. I'd give it 5 stars (and I might revise this review later after more games), but I consider it a 4 star at this point because:* Some cards seem over or under-powered. In the base game, there's a bit more of a natural progression between what you can afford (and when you can afford it), but that's less so with the way you play with the expansions. Some of the more powerful cards can pretty easily be counteracted (like the Members Only Club against the Tuna Boat), so it's not horribly broken, but I feel like it's not 100%. It's good, but … just not perfect. The Burger Stand jumps out as an example of an under-powered card. It's just a little awkward to have a card that'll get you 1 coin next to a card that could get you 10+. (Also, I feel like the Radio Tower (base set) is just too powerful, but maybe that's just me.)* Some cards require other cards, and in the expansion-style play, they just never come up. The Flower Shop + Flower Orchard, for example.* Massive, massive decks to shuffle. This is probably unavoidable, but it's just so many cards to shuffle :)* I got one wrong card. One of the expansions came with an extra of one required establishment, and was missing another. Not the hugest of deals, and I'm guessing the company would mail me a new one, but worth noting.It's a good game that I've enjoyed playing with neighbors and at a monthly game night. Easy to get started with, and this set's a great price for the entertainment you'll get out of it. Not perfect, but really good.

We love this game! Our family (and friends) are now obsessed with it! We've been playing it over and over again the last couple months. This deluxe edition adds a lot more fun to the original game (it includes the original plus two expansions) and also adds one more player to the game. The deluxe edition also includes a tin box for the game.You can easily adapt the game to the length and difficulty you need depending on your crowd by leaving out some of the landmarks you need to build and taking out some of the establishment cards. Our 7 yr old really enjoys the game and can play it well. It's also complex enough for Adults to enjoy. Each time you play cons be entirely different depending on which cards are available to play and what each players' strategy is. Highly recommend this game!