/pic6352795.jpg)
Collection Status
Your Rating
Description
It is the early 1800s, a time of immense construction and urbanization. You are a world-renowned master city planner who has been asked to redesign two different cities. Projects of such significance require the expertise of more than one person, so for each assignment you are paired with a partner with whom to discuss and execute your grandiose plans. Will your planning and collaborative skills be enough to design the most impressive city in the world?
Between Two Cities is a partnership-driven tile-drafting game in which each tile represents part of a city: factory, shop, park, landmarks, etc. You work with the player on your left to design the heart of one city, and with the player on your right to design the heart of another city. On each turn you select two tiles from hand, reveal them, then work with your partners separately to place one of those tiles into each of your two cities before passing the remaining hand of tiles around the table.
At the end of the game, each city is scored for its livability. Your final score is the lower of the livability scores of the two cities you helped design. To win, you have to share your attention and your devotion between two cities. The player with the highest final score wins the game.
The game features play for 3-7 players in 20-25 minutes, a 2-player variant for head-to-head competition as well as a solo variant (Automa).
Year Published
2015
Max Players
7.00
Featured Videos
Transcript Analysis
Browse transcript mentions, sentiments, pros/cons, mechanics, topics, quotes, and references.
Total mentions: 12
This page: 12
Sentiment:
pos 6 ·
mix 1 ·
neu 3 ·
neg 0
Showing 1–12 of 12
Video WFg2a6r88hw
playthrough at 1:23
video_pk 62880 · mention_pk 155671
Click to watch at 1:23 · YouTube ↗
Pros
none
Cons
none
Thematic elements
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
Mechanics unknown.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- um I love this game
- I like having low numbers in the crates
- this is our first time so bear with us
- the marks challenge doesn't have any of the promo Realms but Carol and I do have them all
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video WFg2a6r88hw
playthrough at 24:20
video_pk 62880 · mention_pk 155675
Click to watch at 24:20 · YouTube ↗
Pros
none
Cons
none
Thematic elements
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
Mechanics unknown.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- um I love this game
- I like having low numbers in the crates
- this is our first time so bear with us
- the marks challenge doesn't have any of the promo Realms but Carol and I do have them all
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video x30AER-8JIw
top_10_list at 2:24 sentiment: positive
video_pk 61479 · mention_pk 154140
Click to watch at 2:24 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Engages both neighbors (left and right) in shared castle-building
Cons
none
Thematic elements
- shared structure with voting/drafting to optimize two castles
- castle-building with neighbors
- cooperative competitive drafting
Comparison games
- Splitto
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- tile drafting — Draft tiles and place them to build your castle while sharing with neighbors.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- This game has been around forever. In fact, this is the 25th anniversary edition.
- The more people you have playing, the better the trades are.
- In the super low player counts of two or three, I don't think it's as fun.
- This is one I think you definitely want five to six players to have a really good time with.
- This is the original. I still love it. I think it's a great play.
- You can play this with actually it says up to 99 players, but as long as everyone has a sheet and can see the sets of cards in the middle.
- Camel Up is this wacky camel racing game
- you are trying to predict which camel is going to win the race, but they move in unpredictable ways.
- This plays up to eight players, I believe.
- I love Camel Up.
- you definitely want five to six players to have a really good time with.
- what you are doing is you are building a castle, one to the right of you and one to the left of you.
- you can't neglect one or the other because you only score your lower scoring castle.
- You're drafting tiles and then placing those tiles into your castle.
- this is one of the games that plays much better at the higher player count.
- If you're wanting a similar feel but not wanting it in a board game, look into the card game Splitto.
- World Wonders. This one does top out at five, but it's one of those games where you don't necessarily know how long the round's going to be because people are going to be allocating their money.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video 0D_LO8vHA88
Stillmmyer Games playthrough at 0:11 sentiment: positive
video_pk 12882 · mention_pk 37676
Click to watch at 0:11 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Potential for strong late-game payoff and synergy between cities
- Engaging drafting and decision tension
- Accessible core concept once learned
Cons
- Steep learning curve for new players
- Early resource access can be tightly constrained
Thematic elements
- urban development and cooperative city planning
- City-building across two cities on a shared board
- abstract/strategic
Comparison games
- Atlantis Rising
- Dragon Academy
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- multi-city interaction — Performance in one city influences overall scoring and interaction with the other city.
- Resource management — Balance resources to optimize tile placement and scoring opportunities.
- tile drafting — Draft and place tiles representing districts to shape two cities.
- tile placement and scoring — Place tiles to maximize scoring for each city and meet constraints.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- Honey Buzz is always a difficult realm to complete, but it's really satisfying when you pull it off.
- Space Base, very friendly realm.
- It's a really satisfying game. It takes a little while to get started, but once you start getting resources from it, they can churn out quite a few resources.
- I really like the hidden victory points icon on the new champions hoodie. Pretty sneaky.
- This is a challenging round right here.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video VzQnqPjhZs4
Unknown Channel analysis at 0:15 sentiment: mixed
video_pk 7070 · mention_pk 20952
Click to watch at 0:15 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
mixed
Pros
- clear iconography and approachable teaching
- fast, tense drafting with meaningful decisions
- efficient play that scales well for groups
Cons
- presentation can feel drab compared to other contemporaries
- theme connection can be less visually engaging for some players
Thematic elements
- Collaboration and competition in urban planning, shared city-building constraints
- City-building with a partner; two players cooperatively shape opposing cities via shared drafting
- structured, clean, grid-based planning
Comparison games
- Quadropolis
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- cooperative/competitive drafting — Two teams (or boards) influence each other’s city layouts through mutual drafting decisions.
- grid placement — Tiles must be placed to form coherent districts, with scoring depending on placement patterns.
- tile drafting — Players draft building tiles for two cities simultaneously at the table, balancing personal goals with partner constraints.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- I felt Quadropolis did a better job of that in terms of the art and again I described it as an elegant design something that was that just worked and it just looked good.
- This box barely fits everything once you have it all piled in; Quadropolis' insert is fantastic.
- Sim City on pause: Quadropolis delays scoring and lets you set up before payoff.
- There's not a single choice you make in the entire game you just roll dice sometimes you get a card that says ba tells you what it is and sometimes you get a card that does nothing and that's the A-Team.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video ivL9dAk5OhY
unknown top_10_list at 1:21 sentiment: positive
video_pk 6626 · mention_pk 19679
Click to watch at 1:21 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- teaches tile-laying, drafting, and scoring from multiple sources
- positive player interactions via cooperative framing within competition
Cons
- may feel abstract for some players
- the cooperative-leaning scoring can surprise new players
Thematic elements
- cooperation with competition
- Medieval city-building in a shared two-city drafting puzzle
- cooperative drafting with competitive scoring
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Compound Scoring — points awarded from several condition-based criteria
- drafting — players select tiles from a hand to influence city layouts
- scoring multiple sources — points awarded from several condition-based criteria
- set collection — points come from combining different tile types and sources
- tile laying — players draft and place tiles to build two cities
- tile placement — players draft and place tiles to build two cities
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- all the interactions between players are positive
- this list is designed around people just getting into the Hobby
- easy to learn and once some people know the game you can mix them up
- Forbidden Island teaches the basics of cooperative gaming and can be used as a launching point to other games in the Forbidden series
- the Resistance is probably the best of them
- Seven Wonders scales incredibly well from three to seven players
- One worker mechanic is an awful lot of fun
- Memoir 44 is the most accessible of them mostly because it feels like playing with toy soldiers
- Small World looks really dinky and inviting but it's a mercenary and brutal game
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video Z1Z-7G5mnAs
Josías top_10_list at 3:16 sentiment: neutral
video_pk 6391 · mention_pk 18885
Click to watch at 3:16 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
neutral
Pros
- Good game
- Very good game
Cons
- Haven't warmed up to it like other Stonemaier games
Thematic elements
- Cooperative city building
- City building
- Cooperative game
Comparison games
- Stonemaier Games collection
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Cooperative Drafting — Draft cards cooperatively with neighbor
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- I rank like games pretty much like how I feel right now about them right it's possible that next month I will rank the games way differently
- Stonespine Architects definitely an a rank game for me um really amazing
- I just absolutely love this one of my most favorite puzzly polyomino games
- Château Burgundy is still in my top three games has been for a few years
- I do not like auction games but I absolutely love Modern Art this is amazing
- My City is like an amazing entry level deck builder but you can also play with people who like to play games a lot
- Slay the Spire could be one of my games of the year wow this game is amazing
- Fallout is really messed up by its winning condition
- Pop-Up Pirate it's funny but is it a good game no it's not really a game right
- I like vegetable themed games it sounds very specific but that's the way it is
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video l6-qGzqcAaw
Unknown Channel game_review at 15:08 sentiment: neutral
video_pk 6038 · mention_pk 17881
Click to watch at 15:08 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
neutral
Pros
- Dual-city scoring encourages balancing two layouts
- Potential for varied strategy with different city combinations
Cons
- Complex drafting can slow down play
- Less thematic cohesion for some players compared to single-city games
Thematic elements
- Cooperative-competitive city-building with dual-city scoring
- Two cities built in tandem; players influence both via shared drafting
- abstract/strategic
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- placement and scoring across two cities — Each tile affects scoring on both cities, requiring balance.
- shared decision-making — Players influence both cities through individual drafting choices.
- tile drafting — Draft tiles to contribute to two separate city boards in parallel.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- I love everything about the game in terms of the production value; the art isn't over-the-top, it's clean, the iconography and the color coding really helps with teaching the game.
- this game has nice pieces; the production value is strong and the acrylic components are a nice touch.
- everything about the game is balanced; you can't do everything.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video pLZtymyXO80
Cardboard Herald interview at 40:10 sentiment: positive
video_pk 4278 · mention_pk 12443
Click to watch at 40:10 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- clever two-city mechanic that creates shared tension
- engaging for players who like drafting and tile placement
Cons
- requires good coordination between players
- can be less intuitive for first-time players
Thematic elements
- fusion of cooperation and competition in a two-town build
- Collaborative-city-building between two coexisting cities
- sandwiching two players' cities into a shared result
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- joint drafting / city-building — pairs of players collaborate to draft and place tiles for two cities.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- the shortest review available on BoardGameGeek was 28 minutes long
- I'm tired of long reviews I'm going to make them ten minutes or less scripted
- no games for everyone
- the secret is that I have boxes for each section
- I'm an outsider and I'm actually okay with that
- we always give some negatives on every game
- bear cave
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video 1du26wfPm4k
Going Analog interview at 3:21 sentiment: positive
video_pk 3405 · mention_pk 10059
Click to watch at 3:21 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- engaging drafting dynamic between pairs
- high interaction with teammates and shared scoring
Cons
- requires good communication between teammates; can be unforgiving if teams mis-coordinate
Thematic elements
- cooperative competition with a partner to build optimal cities
- medieval-esque city-building in pairs
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- team-based drafting / tile placement — Two players co-design a city with a third player, balancing competing objectives across teams.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- we're not here to make friends we're here to break people
- one of the biggest personalities in a board game space
- it's a good investment
- the idea and it's it's mostly illegal now I believe
- this version is a ton of fun
- the table presence is terrific
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video BduJ9PE35Oc
Foster the Meeple general_discussion at 3:41 sentiment: neutral
video_pk 3416 · mention_pk 10125
Click to watch at 3:41 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
neutral
Pros
none
Cons
none
Thematic elements
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
Mechanics unknown.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- Say Anything board game challenge with a board gamey twist
- That is the say anything board game challenge definitely try this at home and let us know
- It's not as easy as people probably think it is
- We cheated maybe we should have draped something over them
- Both said Chronicles of Crime at least four times
- We were talking about the expansions in our heads
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video lBb_9R44sJM
Stonemire Games playthrough sentiment: positive
video_pk 1111 · mention_pk 3236
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
none
Cons
none
Thematic elements
- city building
- collaboration
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
Mechanics unknown.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
No quotes stored for this video.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Transcript Navigation
Showing 1–12 of 12