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Smartphone Inc. box art

Smartphone Inc.

Game ID: GID0291389
Collection Status
Description

In Smartphone Inc., you become a CEO of one of the largest smartphone-producing companies in the time when smartphones were only beginning to conquer the world. Research technologies, develop your factory, build your worldwide office network, and outprice your competitors to become the most profitable and successful smartphone company in the world.

Smartphone Inc. is an economic simulation Eurogame. Over five rounds, players program their decisions about price, production, research, and expansion. The game features a unique mechanism of planning, which combines patching mechanisms with bidding and action selection. Each of the rounds consists of eight simple phases: planning, pricing, production, development, research, expansion, selling, and profits.

In the planning phase, all players simultaneously make decisions for the next year by overlaying ("patching") their two plan cards and all of their development tiles. The actions they plan on their cards and tiles in this phase will determine what actions they can perform during all of the later phases.

In the pricing phase, players change the price they charge for their smartphones based on their plan. A lower price helps to go earlier and sell more smartphones on the market, but a higher price, while risky, helps players to earn more money.

In production, all players produce smartphones.

In development, players take development tiles, which expand their planning possibilities in future rounds.

In research, players discover new technologies. Each technology not only expands players' ability to sell smartphones to customers, but also gives them special powers they can use during the game.

In the expansion phase, players open offices in neighbor regions, which allow them to sell in that region and develop their network of offices to more regions in further turns.

In the sale phase, players sell the phones they produced in regions where they have offices. But there is limited space in each region - and if your price is too high, cheaper rivals can block you from selling.

In the profit phase, players get income for their sales. Players gain the sale prices for all of their sold smartphones, and the player who sold the most phones in each region gains a bonus for controlling the accessory market. At the end of this phase all sold smartphones are discarded from the map - and a new round begins.

After five rounds, the richest player wins.

Year Published
2018
Transcript Analysis
Browse transcript mentions, sentiments, pros/cons, mechanics, topics, quotes, and references.
Total mentions: 9
This page: 9
Sentiment: pos 8 · mix 0 · neu 0 · neg 1
Mentions per page
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Showing 1–9 of 9
Video SXSgSP_8LIg All You Can Board top_10_list at 30:34 sentiment: positive
video_pk 62462 · mention_pk 155024
All You Can Board - Smartphone Inc. video thumbnail
Click to watch at 30:34 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
  • deep, engaging pricing mechanic
  • strong interaction, especially at 4-5 players
Cons
  • rules can be heavy for newcomers
  • can run long in some sessions
Thematic elements
  • pricing strategy, market competition, and regional deployment
  • Global smartphone market
  • economic, engine-building feel
Comparison games
  • Ticket to Ride
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
  • Ordering — Price phones to influence player order and market access
  • pricing and ordering — Price phones to influence player order and market access
  • simultaneous planning and reveal — Players plan actions and reveal, then adapt to others
  • Simultaneous reveal — Players plan actions and reveal, then adapt to others
  • tile placement — Public tiles reveal actions; strategic sequencing matters
  • tile-based planning — Public tiles reveal actions; strategic sequencing matters
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • The main thing about this is that each of our picks from one through five as we go through them should be a noticeable step up in complexity.
  • There’s complexity kind of seen in two different ways. I think there’s the rules complexity.
  • complexity means different things to everyone.
  • one of the hardest like of all these kinds of videos we do where we do these categories or recommendations.
  • Age of Innovation does that—it rewards you for learning them by giving you a game that every time you play is going to feel unique.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video jaFRXamLn_4 Unknown game_review at 0:05 sentiment: positive
video_pk 62207 · mention_pk 154721
Unknown - Smartphone Inc. video thumbnail
Click to watch at 0:05 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
  • Innovative action selection mechanics
  • Accessible economics with little math
  • Fast play time (60-90 minutes)
  • Good player count scaling (2-5)
  • Excellent component design (double-walled inserts)
  • Solo mode with AI
Cons
  • Map can be confusing at first
  • Large, heavy box and challenging storage
Thematic elements
  • Tech industry competition, pricing, and distribution
  • Global smartphone market; modern day
  • Economic simulation
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
  • Action selection via planning pads — Players plan actions by overlapping pads with icons; remaining icons indicate the actions available in that round.
  • Distribution network expansion — Spend points to expand the distribution network to reach more markets.
  • production and pricing — Produce phones and adjust prices to influence profits and market presence across the world.
  • Research and technology advancement — Spend points to research technologies to improve capabilities and options.
  • Solo mode with AI — Includes an AI for solo play or playing against another player with AI.
  • World map and market positioning — Decisions about where to sell and how to balance area reach with profitability.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • I find this action selection mechanic really Innovative and really cool
  • this is an economic game that doesn't have a ton of math in it
  • overall this is a really great economic game with very little math
  • the biggest qualm is getting everything back inside this massive box is a pain in the butt
  • double-walled inserts are really great in this game
  • smartphone Inc is definitely going to stay here for a while
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video ycEAhaNio2Y Board Stupid analysis at 10:01 sentiment: positive
video_pk 38396 · mention_pk 115598
Board Stupid - Smartphone Inc. video thumbnail
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Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
  • clean, minimalistic production
  • clever dual-tablet action system
  • variety in strategies through market placement
Cons
  • can be dense for players new to euro economics
Thematic elements
  • tech manufacturing and global market competition
  • late 1990s mobile tech market
  • economic-puzzle with clean aesthetics
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
  • area/market positioning — decisions about which markets to enter and how to allocate resources influence profits
  • hand management — players manage actions through a two-tablet action system to influence production and sales
  • multi-phase planning — longer planning horizon across markets with varying tech and price strategies
  • Variable Phase Order — longer planning horizon across markets with varying tech and price strategies
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • you live and die by your own strategy
  • the more you learn, the more you want to play again
  • it's one of the most sophisticated advanced games on this list
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video AzRj5_4lnPY Our Family general_discussion at 2:18 sentiment: positive
video_pk 12240 · mention_pk 35740
Our Family - Smartphone Inc. video thumbnail
Click to watch at 2:18 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
  • Coherent technology startup theme aligns with competitive play
  • Potential for tight, teachable rounds with crunchy depth
Cons
  • Kickstarter expansion content can add complexity
  • Some players may find the weight substantial
Thematic elements
Comparison games
  • Near and Far
  • Rome
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
  • hand management — Players curate a hand of actions or resources to execute product development steps each round.
  • Resource and budget management — Players allocate limited resources to compete for features, research, and production capacity.
  • Worker placement / team management — Players recruit and deploy a workforce to develop smartphone products, balancing capabilities with market needs.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • "five about five games from our shelf of shame that we are going to play and put on the table"
  • "we're going to go that is the goal"
  • "we're swimming because you know no family... we are a family first"
  • "learn the rules"
  • "we are going to do this because we're telling family"
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video CBDnc5JMW98 Chairman of the Board top_10_list at 0:45 sentiment: positive
video_pk 9441 · mention_pk 96487
Chairman of the Board - Smartphone Inc. video thumbnail
Click to watch at 0:45 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
  • Streamlined, clean action structure
  • Rich economic feel without excess complexity
Cons
none
Thematic elements
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
  • Action selection via overlapping cards — Two-card overlap to choose actions, prioritizing tech development.
  • economic engine — Build a tech firm by producing devices and selling to customers.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • I love how streamlined this game is.
  • it's a drafting style game as you're trying to build up the civilization of cards
  • one world worthy of all the hype
  • this engine builder
  • it's the crunchiness
  • this is widely considered to be one of the best if not the best economic style board game of all time
  • it's a joy to play
  • you are destined to love it
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video hMyZgkEE7ug Actual top_10_list at 4:38 sentiment: positive
video_pk 6680 · mention_pk 92852
Actual - Smartphone Inc. video thumbnail
Click to watch at 4:38 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
  • deeply thematic economic competition that feels both accessible and tight
  • high tension from competing on price and market expansion
  • three-way interplay of pricing, production, and tech upgrades creates satisfying decisions
Cons
  • some players may find the economic depth dense or less thematic if they dislike business sims
  • rule explanations can be lengthy for newcomers
Thematic elements
  • corporate strategy, global expansion, product development
  • global mobile-phone industry; competing brands vie for market share
  • economic simulation with real-time-ish market pressure
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
  • pricing and geopolitics — undercutting, price optimization, and regional rollout shape profitability and growth.
  • Simultaneous action selection — players choose actions in parallel, then reveal and execute, simulating competitive market dynamics.
  • Simultaneous Actions — players choose actions in parallel, then reveal and execute, simulating competitive market dynamics.
  • tech upgrades and R&D — investing in technology improves competitiveness and provides long-term benefits.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • there's no magic piece of evidence you need to find to solve the case
  • it's a race to finish an enclosure first
  • you read the opening story and then it's up to you to decide which leads to follow
  • the game is begging you to take risks because if you ever get 21 on a mission you not only win the mission but you lose a notoriety token
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video EyS8ltXySa0 Three Minute Board Game Patrons game_review at 0:11 sentiment: positive
video_pk 6417 · mention_pk 18997
Three Minute Board Game Patrons - Smartphone Inc. video thumbnail
Click to watch at 0:11 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
  • Fast-paced Euro feel with clean, crisp mechanics
  • Innovative and memorable action-selection using tiles/phones
  • Inter-player interaction through undercutting and strategic pricing order
  • Clear progression from round to round and a satisfying sense of momentum
Cons
  • Unforgiving; strong early outplay can be hard to recover from
  • Tends toward a cutthroat meta which may not appeal to players who dislike mean interactions
  • Box aesthetics initially mislead some players about the game's weight or vibe
Thematic elements
  • Competitive market dynamics, pricing strategy, network growth, and production optimization in a tech-centric world.
  • A contemporary technology startup racing to design, price, and sell smartphones across regional markets.
  • Economic Euro with high inter-player interaction and sharp, cutthroat decisions.
Comparison games
  • Hansa Teutonica
  • Yokohama
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
  • action_selection — Players reveal a set of actions each round by placing flexible double-sided tiles; the arrangement signals which actions are available that turn and influences production and expansion.
  • network_expansion — Expanding the network either within current regions or into adjacent regions costs progress points and can yield new market access and scoring opportunities.
  • office_placement_and_bonus — When techs are completed, you remove markers and place an office on the board; the first to do so gains a bonus token, creating a race element.
  • per_phone_value_and_scaling — Points from sales are multiplied by the selling price, weaving together pricing strategy and market access into a scalable scoring engine.
  • pricing_and_turn_order — All companies start price tokens at five and adjust prices up or down; after pricing, the cheapest company acts first, creating dynamic anticipation and strategic sequencing.
  • production_and_tile_underlay — Production occurs based on how many boxes are shown and how many squares of a player’s big tiles are covered; overhang rules keep layout tidy and create spatial tension.
  • research_and_tech_progress — Research requires progress markers accumulated via specific symbols; meeting a tech’s cost unlocks an office and, for the first to do so, a bonus token.
  • sales_and_region_scoring — Phones are sold to red or purple buyers; red buyers award more points and purple buyers require matching techs; the top seller in a region gains red points, with potential secondary points for second place.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • "The best thing about this game is pricing determining turn order. It makes for some fascinating decisions and interactions."
  • "Getting in a region they thought was theirs and undercutting them is brutally fun"
  • "The action selection system of juggling your two phones is really bizarre at first, but it's so good once it clicks."
  • "It's a modern take on classic Euro gameplay."
  • "The box looked like it would be heavy Euro, but it's fast and sharp; very clean and crisp."
  • "If you get outplayed early on, there's little the game will do to help you recover; it rewards meanness and blocking."
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video uYNVXp6Q-PA Board Game Co general_discussion at 7:21 sentiment: negative
video_pk 3114 · mention_pk 9124
Board Game Co - Smartphone Inc. video thumbnail
Click to watch at 7:21 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
negative
Pros
none
Cons
  • Described as Food Chain Magnate variant
  • Host owns and prefers Food Chain Magnate
Thematic elements
Comparison games
  • Food Chain Magnate
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
Mechanics unknown.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • I know the games I play. I know the games I love to play. And I know the games that I theoretically want to play but don't actually play.
  • I need at least one of those two things in play - either high personal interest or good reputation
  • Designers, reviewers, other people mentioned
  • I'm going to be trying to be more mindful about reality as opposed to the desires that I have
  • These tend to be less of a priority. Like occasionally I dive into an unplayed game that isn't a review copy, but more often than not if I'm diving into an unplayed game, review copies do take precedence
  • I have so many euros I love and so many that I'm behind on
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video bBRQJ4-Ipng Champion top_5_list at 6:05 sentiment: positive
video_pk 1230 · mention_pk 3545
Champion - Smartphone Inc. video thumbnail
Click to watch at 6:05 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
  • tactile and thematic action selection
  • engaging economic engine with strong interaction
Cons
  • game looks dry at first glance, but has depth
Thematic elements
  • economic ruthlessness and corporate strategy
  • Tech startup and smartphone market
  • tactile and crunchy but thematically focused on business growth
Comparison games
  • Brass Birmingham
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
  • action_selection — tactile, dual-dial action selection mechanism
  • economic_engine — competition to become the dominant smartphone company
  • hand_management — players manage resources and actions via overlapping boards
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • Hang is such a masterpiece of a game.
  • It's so interactive. It's so engaging. It's so kind of mean in that con mean.
  • I love it I love it
  • What a game.
  • What a pick.
  • The game looks dry AF. But there is a lot there is a lot of meat in the game.
  • There is this little mini game in the game that is super cool.
  • We absolutely love it. It's one of the best games from Ludus Magnus.
  • Zia, Legends of a Drifter is a fantastic game.
  • Secret Legendary. It's the ultimate version of Secret.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
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