Big Boss

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Description

Big Boss is a game of founding companies, expanding existing companies, taking over smaller companies and share buying. The game is explicitly based on the Sid Sackson classic Acquire and shares many similarities to that game though mergers are not as prevalent or crucial in Big Boss. The main differences between the two games include the three dimensional aspect of Big Boss, and the existence of a strong monetary incentive to expand companies that you do not control.

Year Published

1994

Transcript Analysis

Browse transcript mentions, sentiments, pros/cons, mechanics, topics, quotes, and references.

Total mentions: 2

This page: 2

Sentiment: pos 2 · mix 0 · neu 0 · neg 0

Showing 1–2 of 2

Video SOvXcUvHyg0 Unknown Channel rules teach at 0:00 sentiment: positive

video_pk 5128 · mention_pk 15211

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Overall sentiment (raw)

positive

Pros

Engaging and thematic blend of building, expansion, and mergers in a compact play space.
Clear escalation through card types (industry/level) and the incremental tower mechanic that adds strategic depth.
High player interaction via mergers and the race to fund and upgrade companies, with a tangible payoff each turn.

Cons

Rules can be complex and somewhat brutal, with a noted rule reference indicating that endgame decisions are nuanced (see page 10 of the rules).
Random card draw can heavily influence turn options and pacing, potentially slowing or speeding the game depending on the industry/level cards drawn.

Thematic elements

Corporate finance, stock market manipulation, mergers and acquisitions, strategic bidding and expansion.
A satirical corporate board room and city-building board where players simulate founding, expanding, and merging companies to accumulate wealth.
Rule-driven instructional with a light narrative framing of becoming the wealthiest mogul through strategic company growth and mergers.

Comparison games

none

Mechanics (from transcript analysis)

Buying shares — During the buy step, a player may purchase up to two shares in any founded companies, paying the current share price for each share purchased.
Discard and draw — Played cards are discarded to a public face-up discard pile. If a card is played from the hand, a new card from the industry deck is drawn to replenish row spaces.
Earning step — After founding or expanding a company, the active player earns money equal to the new share price of that company on that turn.
End condition — The game ends when all building pieces are placed or all players pass. Final scoring includes cash, the value of shares and towers, plus value of any remaining cards in hand.
Founding and expanding companies — Players place buildings and HQs by using industry or level cards to found new companies or to expand existing ones on vacant spaces of the board.
mergers — When a building piece is placed adjacent to two companies, those companies merge. The acquiring company is the one with the higher share price, and ownership transfers accordingly.
Radio towers — A radio tower can be purchased and placed on a company. The first tower costs 15 million, the second 30 million. Each tower counts as three shares and occupies the top of the HQ; towers cannot be sold.
Share price management — A company’s share price is updated based on the level of buildings placed during the turn. The total level on the spaces contributed that turn determines the new share price increment.

Video topics + discussion points

No key topics recorded for this video.

Quotes (from this video)

it's Big Boss
the basics of Big Boss
fund a company it's fun you'll succeed I promise
money not dollars cuz we could play this anywhere
brutal see page 10 of the rules for more details

References (from this video)

No references stored for this video.

Video c6whWG6Tc20 Board Game Buys general_discussion at 11:43 sentiment: positive

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