Your favorite lovably quirky city is back at it again! Welcome to Machi Koro 2, where new adventures await, but the bakeries and business centers still abound.
In Machi Koro 2, veteran players will notice some big changes. Under the new zoning laws, players receive a limited budget to choose their own starting establishments. The available cards are pulled from three decks and arranged for all to see. It's a race to grab the coolest new establishments and landmarks in the land!
The cards in this set have exciting, never-before-seen effects. But choose what you build wisely, as your landmarks might also benefit your opponents! With more variety than ever before, no two games will be the same. Machi Koro 2 will have fans visiting again and again!
—description from publisher
- keeps everyone engaged at the table
- fast and fun once understood
- some downtime when solving turns
- dice-driven tableau building
- city-building tableau with dice
- Machikoro
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- dice-driven activation of tableau — build a tableau; roll dice to activate actions; out-of-turn activation keeps players engaged; can be quick game.
- Tableau Building — build a tableau; roll dice to activate actions; out-of-turn activation keeps players engaged; can be quick game.
- tableau-based planning — you stack to activate actions corresponding to dice results; players can resolve elements out of turn to stay active.
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- What makes this game really great? What I love about it, it generates a lot of great conversations and also a great icebreaker for other people.
- it's a great icebreaker to get to know other people as well.
- it's a reverse settler game
- I learned to lie with coup. It's like, okay, I learned poker face and lie through coup
- it's the unique dexterity element
- it's dragon coin and dragon scale looking coin and that actually you can spend it to get more action
References (from this video)
- Tokaido
- Paper World
- Shackleton Base
- The Mind
- Soulmates
- Tricky Kids
- Boxcar Pinball Haunted House
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- super cute um draft card drafting game.
- It is a trading card game with a mech concept.
- So, you're Ruel and I'm Bailey. But then your shield is Rueld and my shield is Shieldly.
- The two ways you can flip your over flip to your overclock which gives you your mech super cool new powers is either for a good reason or a bad reason.
- Looks like a sexy bat.
- Crab fried rice sounds really good.
- So, if I get, you know, if I knock you your shield down to zero, if there's any excess, normally it would just you just lose it, but I get the shockwave that would apply to your your character then.
- Orcs together strong.
- I love this game. I really
- It's got the sauce. I'm going to play this a lot.
References (from this video)
- Clever mechanism where buying a landmark gives benefits to all players.
- Nice slight catch-up mechanism.
- Encourages positive player interaction and close games.
- City building
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Landmark Acquisition — Players aim to acquire three expensive landmark cards to trigger the end of the game.
- Positive Player Interaction — Purchasing landmarks provides benefits to all players, encouraging positive interaction and keeping the game close.
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- I think it's really neat that a game like this has progression.
- So, it gives you this feeling that I think is so brilliant in a push your luck game, where you have a chance, even if you have not rolled well throughout most of the game, that you can come down to the wire in that last turn, and you have a chance to win, even if you have two points over the course of the game. Someone else has 50. You can still win if you roll seven bells.
- And I thought that was a really clever mechanism to put in the game, where previous to this, you always just wanted the force to be with you.
- I really like the game that the game presents this fairly organic timer to you.
- But I thought this was really really clever that you're scoring these special abilities based on the current trick as well.
- But I just love that without any shuffling.
- And I think that's such a clever twist that I really want to use it in the game where you are kind of crafting a deck but you're inserting cards in specific places in that deck and how that matters.
- So, there's this nice, slight catch-up mechanism.
- And so, uh I just like that. I like positive player interaction, but I also like close games, and I think this does it in a really nice way.
- I think what this does is that lets players be themselves.
- And I think that is so cool that these cards give you that flexibility.
- I think that is so clever that you have a few chances to take over your opponent's cards.
- I really appreciate when games do this, especially fairly complex games like Sanctuary.
- And uh yeah, I think this this short-term goal system um of things to pursue, I think, is really really helpful in Sanctuary.
- There's this shared trauma in this game cuz when this robot comes up, it hurts everybody.
- I think it's such a clean system.
- I really love the variability that adds and how it kind of can shape the decisions that you make on any given game. It's such a clever system.
References (from this video)
- love machikoro
- like machu koro legacy
- sure we'll love machi koro too
- twice as many bad rolls
- Machi Koro
- Machi Koro Legacy
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Card Drafting — The available cards are pulled from three decks and arranged for all to see.
- Engine Building — It's a race to grab the coolest new establishments and landmarks in town.
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- this game only gets better and better with each playthrough and has one of the best communities i've ever seen
- some things don't need to be changed and we're fine just the way they were like people's choice videos it's always been the people's choice video it was it's never been changed before
- you may want to play distilled in moderation after seeing tony case slurred assessment of the game whiskey booze board games three wonderful words
- this game brilliantly brings beer and birmingham's boom to brass bestowing a bonus boost in the board game rankings
- i love coffee who doesn't love coffee
- it seems to be abound with complex decisions without being over complicated to learn
- a lot of people claim this game continues to rise in their ranking the more they play so adding an expansion just made sense to continue this hype
- gloomhaven is my favorite game of all time and as i sit here twiddling my thumbs waiting for frosthaven i'd love to get in some fresh gloomhaven gameplay and its compact nature count me in
- gloom holding sounds gloriously ridiculous
References (from this video)
- Faster start
- Engaging landmarks
- Catch-up mechanism integrated with landmarks
- Interactive elements
- Well-crafted elements
- Space Base
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Dice choice — The player rolling the dice can choose to roll one or two dice, influencing the number that triggers card activations.
- Dice Rolling — Players roll two D6 dice, and the result is used by most or all players to activate cards in their tableau.
- Landmarks — A card type that is how players trigger the end of the game and win. Some provide one-time benefits, while others impact all players.
- Tableau Building — Players activate cards in their tableau to gain benefits.
- Take That — Some cards have interactive effects, such as taking coins from opponents.
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- So, all players are engaged in every turn. That's great.
- I think that's a neat twist on it compared to Space Base.
- this sequel gives you a faster start in that at the beginning of the game, you have a little bit of money, and you get to spend that money player by player on cards that are available to you.
- So, in both ways, when you get a landmark, not only are you advancing yourself towards a potential victory, but you're also doing something that helps all players participate, engage, and potentially catch up, which I thought was really clever.
- That is definitely I think my favorite mechanism in this game.
- Even in a vacuum, I think these elements are really well crafted for Machi Koro 2 and made me really enjoy the game.
References (from this video)
- fast-paced and quick to play
- two-dice-from-start mechanic speeds early turns
- starter cards and auto coins accelerate the start
- variety of landmarks with varying costs and effects
- two-player dynamic with less stealing can feel more approachable
- landmarks can feel flat or less interesting for some players relative to other editions
- developing a city by constructing various establishments to earn money and attract tourism
- building a city among competing towns
- tabletop play-by-play narration during a live playthrough
- Space Base
- Happy City
- Machi Koro Legacy
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- auto coin — If you have no money at purchase time, you gain an auto coin to buy something.
- Card types — Cards are color-coded (red, blue, green, purple) with different activation rules (opponent, any player, self, and more expensive purple cards).
- Dice Rolling — On each turn you roll one or two dice to activate buildings in your tableau or in your opponent's tableau.
- dice-rolling — On each turn you roll one or two dice to activate buildings in your tableau or in your opponent's tableau.
- landmark pricing — Landmarks have three price tags depending on whether they are bought first, second, or third, creating variability in the early game.
- Landmarks — Players purchase landmarks that provide ongoing effects and contribute toward the win condition; three landmarks are needed to win.
- Multi-Use Cards — Cards are color-coded (red, blue, green, purple) with different activation rules (opponent, any player, self, and more expensive purple cards).
- starter phase — An initial phase lets players purchase three starter cards with five money to kickstart the game.
- two-dice from start (MK2 only) — In MK2 you can start rolling two dice from the outset, speeding the game.
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- Machi Koro 2 does play in very much the same way as classic Machi Koro
- on each turn you'll roll one or two dice and you'll activate buildings that are in your tableau or opponent's tableau
- the landmarks will get more expensive as you go along
- the aim is to build three landmarks and the first to build three landmarks wins
- you can start rolling two dice from the beginning if you wish
- there's an initial phase of purchasing three starter cards with our five money to kickstart
- if you have no money at the start of purchasing you gain an auto coin
References (from this video)
- Easy to grasp and good for introducing to friends
- High replayability and multiple viable strategies
- Strong interactivity through simultaneous play
- building up a town with dice-driven production
- an island town
- machikoro
- katan
- kanban ev
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- card_purchase_and_buildings — Purchase buildings as cards to expand your island and generate actions.
- Dice Rolling — Roll dice to activate buildings you own and others' buildings.
- dice_rolling — Roll dice to activate buildings you own and others' buildings.
- interactive_economy — Card interactions and purchases influence other players' income and options.
- Landmarks — Aim to complete three landmarks to win the game.
- Simultaneous Actions — Multiple players perform actions in parallel; each player's role can affect others.
- simultaneous_play — Multiple players perform actions in parallel; each player's role can affect others.
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- we are omni gamers so we basically enjoy anything you put at the table
- it's important to stay on the positive things
- open communication is key for success
- board games are for everyone
- they bring people together
References (from this video)
- familiar family-friendly engine with refinements
- less broken than the original according to the speaker
- rule familiarity required; the speaker was unsure how to play at first
- family-friendly urban development
- city-building with a light, accessible theme
- casual and approachable
- Machi Koro 1
- Harbor expansion (referenced)
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- dice-based city-building — dice determine income/actions; core to Machi Koro family play
- set of strategies — original Machi Koro had a few viable strategies; the sequel aims to reduce perceived brokenness
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- I've decided not to do paid Kickstarter previews. we want to hear about what reviewers actually think of games.
- the first one is Trolls and Princesses... I thought it was a cute theme.
- Beacon Patrol is a Cooperative tile placing game.
- it's a draft and write records a game about building a band.
- I don't like trading mechanic but here's the thing when you're trading to a Cooperative end we had a really fun time with it.
- the White Castle is a dice worker placement game which I love. I love engine building.
- Praga Caput Regni... it's messy. teaching it... not fun.
References (from this video)
- Clear engine-building loop that remains accessible
- Interactive income generation that benefits all players
- Fast-paced and easy to teach
- Dice luck can dominate early progress
- Limited depth for veteran euro players
- dice-triggered income and property development
- Modern city building and development
- Analytical overview of engine-building and accessibility
- Monopoly
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Dice Rolling — Income is triggered by dice results, and those results can affect all players with matching cards.
- Dice-driven income — Income is triggered by dice results, and those results can affect all players with matching cards.
- Engine Building — Players acquire cards that generate income; buildings synergize to increase revenue over time.
- Investment — Investments accumulate as players buy more cards to extend income streams.
- Set/portfolio growth — Investments accumulate as players buy more cards to extend income streams.
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- Monopoly is the bestselling branded board game of all time
- engine building is what makes these games addictive
- Isle of Sky what makes this game so cool is you're acquiring let's say properties again but in this case it's tiles
- it's such an active game it's practically chaos
- no thanks is a game for three to seven players
- everyone's in the game until the very end
- Isle of Sky is my favorite game on this list
References (from this video)
- Easier than the original Machi Koro
- Simplified landmark system (only 3 instead of 4-5)
- Fun card selection
- Random dice rolling adds excitement
- Take that can feel mean sometimes
- City development and commerce
- Building a city
- Light theme
- Machi Koro (original)
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Card Collection — Collecting different establishment cards (cafe, bank, farm, flower shop)
- Dice Rolling — Rolling dice to determine card activations
- Take That — Players can affect each other negatively
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- do those things that's going to keep us safe yeah so that we don't get overcome again
- the games from 2021 that we loved and we picked our top 10 games from that
- board games that bring the fun to the table
- i used to read yes you did when we first got married i would read yes i loved uh books
- i can do so much more yeah with board gaming than with golf
- they want to be known as the steam platform for board gaming
- embracer is becoming that you know so big that they're gonna be so diversified for geek culture
- we want to be that one-stop shop where if you're looking for people of color you want to hear what they have to say
- diversity inclusion that's what we're shooting for
- it's a beautiful game and you know the market you know because you gotta always look at the market
- i ain't mad at you
- the dice ain't nice
- we love you guys we we we're just glad you're still with us and keep on coming back
References (from this video)
- accessible for families
- quick plays between sessions
- some players may seek deeper strategy
- light, family-friendly city management
- city-building with dice
- humorous, casual
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Card drafting / set collection — acquire buildings to build your own city
- Dice Rolling — dice determine which buildings activate
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- We love you and we will always love you.
- these are games your family will enjoy.
- I love Unmatched.