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Description
Big Shot is an auction game in which a set of colored cubes is put up for auction each round based on a random die roll. Whoever wins the bid, places those cubes in areas on the game board. Once an area has seven cubes in it, that area is locked and no more cubes can be added. Whoever has the majority of cubes in that area owns it — except that ties for majority are disregarded, so in a spread of 3/3/1 cubes, the player with only one cube owns that area!
Players have a limited amount of money with which to bid. They can take one loan each turn, but the first loan gives them only $9 more, while the second loan gives them $8 and the third $7. At the end of the game, the player must repay $10 for each loan taken, with that money coming from the value of the property they now own.
At the end of the game, players tally the value of what they own (with some properties being doubled in value if the player owns that region's doubler as well as areas within that region), then repay all loans. Whoever has the most money wins!
Year Published
2001
Transcript Analysis
Browse transcript mentions, sentiments, pros/cons, mechanics, topics, quotes, and references.
Total mentions: 5
This page: 5
Sentiment:
pos 4 ·
mix 1 ·
neu 0 ·
neg 0
Showing 1–5 of 5
Video L4kWd4NMO8E
B7 top_10_list at 20:30 sentiment: positive
video_pk 8597 · mention_pk 25316
Click to watch at 20:30 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- timeless design; mind-gamey bidding
- strong iconic pedigree; remains compelling
Cons
- older inspirations may feel dated to new players
Thematic elements
- prestige, power, market influence
- real estate market aspiration
- classic, strategic, old-school elegance
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Area Control — majority control of board plots via cube placement
- Auction — players bid on sets of colored cubes to place on plots
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- I absolutely love Riverwoods.
- This title might very well be my top hidden gem game of 2025, and you'll definitely see it in my top 10 for the year.
- Jambo is one of my favorite two-player only games.
- Crazy Corgi is wild, chaotic, and a lot of fun.
- Big Shot is an absolute essential game in any game collection.
- Taiwan Night Market is a super fun auction game.
- The artwork and components in this new Shadow Street Merchant edition are stunning.
- Kroio has exceptionally exceeded my expectations.
- On Stage was the hottest game in the Taiwan original board game expo last year in 2024.
- Tend to Leave is an incredibly fun filler game that has easily earned a spot in my top 30 for this year.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video 7-L_D3JeHmQ
junkets games general_discussion at 3:30 sentiment: mixed
video_pk 5977 · mention_pk 17724
Click to watch at 3:30 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
mixed
Pros
- Fascinating, old-school auction design
- Concise playtime (~30 minutes)
Cons
- Auction-centric design can feel mean
- Older title; may look austere to modern audiences
Thematic elements
- Wealth accumulation through bidding and area control
- Auction-based property game with a historical vibe
- Classic abstracted/antiques feel
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- auction/bidding — players bid on bundles of cubes and place them on the board
- loans / debt management — takings loans affect end-game scoring and cash flow
- Majority Control — who has the most cubes in an area claims it
- set collection / scoring — points come from board placement and completed areas
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- I like beer and I’m curious to learn more about this one
- the art style is gorgeous
- build train lines across the United States in a 12-game campaign
- 2100 spell combinations … the more ingeniously combination the more powerful
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video XXF-U69mBtA
Unknown top_20_list at 56:42 sentiment: positive
video_pk 5418 · mention_pk 16142
Click to watch at 56:42 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- classic Randolph mind games; atmospheric real estate theming
Cons
- older mechanism may feel familiar to fans of Randolph's games
Thematic elements
- auction and area control
- real estate market; big shots bidding
- gritty, strategic
Comparison games
- Power grid-family auctions
- Randolph's earlier works
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Area Control — Place cubes to control plots on the board
- Auction — Bid on sets of colored cubes to acquire land positions
- roll-driven placement — Estate broker die results influence rounds
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- I love showcasing fun and unique non-mainstream games.
- Crazy Corgi is wild, chaotic, and a lot of fun.
- Riverwoods is simply outstanding and could be my top hidden gem of 2025.
- Pandora is a gem with depth and multiple modes that keep sessions exciting.
- Baron is a comeback with a new edition, expanding the player count and interaction.
- Big Shot is one of my all-time favorite games; essential in any collection.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video nyqriJcBDHA
Unknown Channel game_review at 0:00 sentiment: positive
video_pk 5063 · mention_pk 15059
Click to watch at 0:00 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Fast-paced and easy to learn/teach
- Strong integration of auction and area control
- Thematic feel of a big shot in the real estate market
- Engaging end-game scoring with potential for dramatic leads
- Portable box with modern edition updates and transformable board presentation
- Works well at four players; typical play around 45 minutes
Cons
- Cards noted as thin; thicker stock would improve durability
- Production changes between editions (blue shade, minor design tweaks)
- Box design reduces storage space in some setups; layout can feel cramped
Thematic elements
- Real estate auction and area control
- Port City real estate market
- economic/simulated market dynamics
Comparison games
- Las Vegas
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Area Control — Players place or lock cubes to control designated board areas.
- Auction — Players bid to claim cubes and control areas.
- End-game scoring — Calculate total property values, repay loans, and determine the winner.
- Loans — Players can take loans with fixed repayments and costs.
- roll and move — A real estate broker piece moves around the board via die roll to trigger auctions.
- Tile/Cube Placement — Acquired cubes are placed on land plots with buildings; seven cubes on a plot locks it.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- I'm a big fan of the designer and big shot is one of my all-time favorite auction area control games
- Big Shot is an amazing game that still holds up today
- the publisher plate turned their previous version of Big Shot into their Signature lbo Series; it's awesome
- it's one of my all-time favorite auction area control games so I was really excited to try out this new version
- I love the artwork... very appealing
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video asPaDvRXqUE
Boardgamegeek Channel general_discussion at 8:03 sentiment: positive
video_pk 2161 · mention_pk 6346
Click to watch at 8:03 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Did video
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)
- This is so much to my taste and I played it a half dozen times really dig it and it's got fewer than 100 thumbs on the preview it's just like your tastes are not necessarily going to match up with anyone else's
- The perfect thing is something you're only going to find through repeated play. It's not going to hit you instantaneously
- It's more about playing something, liking it, you play it again, you play with different people, you want to introduce it to people, and over time it becomes the thing you love
- The good and bad of this job is that you play something, review it, do a video, and then never touch it no matter how much I like it
- You can do anything in games
- I value sleep there more than I value getting a post out
- It's just the cover the cover seems pretty funny to have around and just show people
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Transcript Navigation
Showing 1–5 of 5