Rebuilding Chicago

• Designer: Quinn Brander
• Publisher: Wizkids
• Players: 1-5
• Age: 12+
• Time: 60-120 minutes
• Amazon affiliate link: https://amzn.to/4n29utO
• Played with review copy provided by publisher

In Rebuilding Chicago, a standalone successor to 2023’s Rebuilding Seattle, you’re responsible for managing the zoning and expansion of a major neighborhood following the “Great Chicago Fire” of 1871.

Each round, your population grows, then you can either build a new building, expand into a new suburb, activate an event, or build a landmark, after which you earn profit based on your neighborhood’s commerce. You’ll buy building types from a shared market — looking to find shapes that fit your grid and types that fit your strategy — and construct landmarks on the right tile combinations. Suburb tiles connect to your grid however you like, creating uniquely shaped neighborhoods. Triggering citywide events can change the tide of the game, offering points, money, and expansions for the players ready for it. You can even enact laws to give yourself the advantage!

You earn points for building types, upgrades, landmarks, events, and remaining cash, and at the end of the game, whoever’s neighborhood has earned the most points wins. Rebuilding Chicago also comes with a solo player deck so that you can compete to build the best version of Chicago even with just one player. Enjoy gameplay against a deck designed to simulate the actions of a second player to discover strategies and configurations you can use to improve Chicago.

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Catan Zip!

• Designer: Klaus Teuber
• Publisher: Catan Studio
• Players:  3-4
• Age: 10+
• Time: 60 minutes
• Amazon affiliate link: https://amzn.to/4tVMLCs
• Played with review copy provided by publisher

Welcome to the unexplored island of Catan!

As you and your fellow explorers gaze across the uninhabited landscape of hexagonal tracts of terrain, you quickly realize that this unique land arrangement provides ample space for each of you to put down roots. You race off to establish your respective communities by gathering resources from nearby terrain, building your infrastructure, and nurturing trade relationships.  Watch out for surprises – your rivals can block your path or send the robber to plunder your wealth.  Good luck, explorers!

In this portable edition, the island of Catan is created on the pad in the center of the table. Different island layouts ensure that every game is new and full of possibilities. Players draw their roads, settlements and cities directly on the map as the island develops. 

Trade remains the key to success. Instead of cards, you use resource tokens to trade with other players. Some resources you will have in abundance, while others are scarce. Exchange wisely to complete your building plans.

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Bare Bones

• Designer: not listed
• Publisher: West Coast Bias Games
• Players: 2-4
• Age: 10+
• Time: 20-30 minutes
• Amazon affiliate link:  https://amzn.to/4vhW0hg
• Played with review copy provided by publisher

In Bare Bones, players each begin with an identical base set of 7 cards + 3 additional cards they choose. Cards come in two varieties, Dice Cards and Action Cards.  Dice Cards come in 7 colors. Every Dice Card played entitles the player to roll 1 die of the corresponding color. The different colored dice have different values representing points. White dice provide the currency needed to acquire new cards to build your deck. Action Cards grant powerful abilities players can use to multiply scores and enhance other cards in their decks. There are many paths to victory through card and dice combos, but it all comes down to how you build your deck and the luck of the dice. Seven different Action Cards are used in each game, but 20 are provided. After 12 rounds, scores are tallied to determine the victor.

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