Starting with $49 apiece, players in The Game of 49 bid to buy spaces on the 49-square (7-by-7) game board. Randomly drawn number cards are auctioned one at a time, with the highest bidder placing a chip on the matching board space. Wild/Payoff cards give players a choice of where to place their chip and also award cash to all players for their chips on the board: $7 per chip, with a maximum payoff of $49.
The first player to claim four spaces in a row, in any direction, wins.
Zillionaires on Mars and Zillionaires: Road Trip USA keep the same gameplay as in the game's original release, but with dollar values now in the zillions as players bid for lots on Mars or roadside attractions alongside U.S. highways.
Luck: The Game offers the same gameplay in a handy travel bag with the game board printed right on the bag. Theme is based on the Skydance movie, Luck, released on Apple+ August 5, 2022.
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- It's incredibly exhausting and in terms of buying games well that's what Essen is designed for
- I had an amazing time at Essen Spiel and I've spent this entire week since thinking about how I'm going to do it better next year
- the atmosphere is what you go for
References (from this video)
- interesting control mechanics with variable value depending on position
- pacing and strategic blocking elements
- turn-order can be manipulated to stall endgame
- production quality very cheap, money cards feel low quality
- abstract grid control with numerical auction
- 7x7 grid with numbers—auction to claim control
- endgame reveal via new auction card
- For Sale
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- auction/bidding — round-based bidding to place control markers on a 7x7 grid
- cash flow based on control — money received per control marker on board
- pattern-building win condition — four in a row/column/diagonal wins when a line is completed
- power cards to affect 49 — special cards can change ownership of the 49 position
- scarcity of funds — balance money supply as you bid down and recharge later
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- this game is football for me to be honest it all boils down to this one mechanism of how the dice are used
- I would love to see this be used in something else
- production of this game is absolutely terrible and really cheap pieces
- this is a very silly simple chaotic game but it is fun in its nature
- stunning visual look here with these watercolored flowers
- breath of fresh air; breezy filler
- it's a simple set collection drafting style game
- I actually do like the concept of this game