The Big Apple (2016)

The Big Apple is a “building” game for from 2 to 4 players. Players recreate the “history” of New York City, from its earliest years up to modern times, by slowly constructing more and bigger buildings, parks and cultural centers. Each player is looking to amass wealth and political power, all leading to his being elected Mayor of New York.

Players win by earning Victory Points. There are several paths to gaining VP - wealth and political power are the two main roads - and players must choose which of these they will take to win.

The Big Apple requires players to master various types of games all at the same time. The building portion of the game requires players to adapt spatially to the changing environs for in each of the three eras of the game. In addition there is a population management aspect where new immigrants are constantly coming ashore and need to find housing. This leads to a constant friction between the building of housing to hold voters... I mean population versus the creation of lucrative businesses versus the migration of the populace into the boroughs of Brooklyn, Queens & The Bronx. Finally the game is full of dirty political tricks that can set your opposition back and create opportunities for you.

The Big Apple is for 2-4 players and plays in about 45 minutes per player. It is easy to learn but full of nuances that make mastery slightly more difficult.