Ah, board games. Used to be the same old suspects, right? Monopoly, Clue – fun for a while, but then…meh. Then came Carcassonne. That game was the gateway drug, the one that showed me board games could be more than just mindless rolls of the dice. But it wasn't until I wandered into Millennium Games that I realized just how DEEP the rabbit hole went!
Imagine this: a store dedicated entirely to board games! Walls lined with boxes, overflowing with possibilities. Co-op adventures for teamwork, epic battles for glory, fantastical worlds begging to be explored. It was overwhelming in the best way possible. Here I was, a board game newbie, surrounded by a universe I never knew existed.
Feeling a little lost, a friendly staffer at Millennium Games came to the rescue. Forget sales pitches, this person genuinely wanted to help us find a game we'd love. That's where Tiny Towns comes into the picture. The box art might not have screamed "instant classic," but this staff member's passion was infectious. They even offered a money-back guarantee! (Spoiler alert: never needed it.)
Fast forward to today, and Tiny Towns is still a family staple. Over 100 games in over 4 years, and it never gets old! It's the perfect blend of strategy and puzzle, a fantastic choice for both new players and seasoned gamers. Plus, the game’s art is ridiculously cute!
Tiny Towns is a game for 1-6 players designed by Peter McPherson and published by Alderac Entertainment Group (AEG). I have never played it solo, but I have enjoyed it as a date night game and up to six players. I feel that this game plays well at every count
Components
Super cute and detailed rulebook
Wooden resource cubes (wood, wheat, brick, glass, and stone)
6 player boards with a 4x4 grid
Building cards
Monument cards
Scorepad
First player white wooden master builder hammer (I call it a gavel)
Wooden buildings including cottages and monuments
How to Play
Set Up
Shuffle Monuments, deal 2 to each player (choose 1, discard 1 face-down) – I would skip this until you’ve played a few times
Deal one player board to each player
Place Cottage card face-up in center
Set resource tokens and buildings within reach of each player
Sort and shuffle Building cards, reveal one from each pile next to Cottage
Set the rest of the cards away
Determine starting player and give them the gavel
Tiny Towns is played over a series of rounds
Scoring and Winning
The game ends when no more buildings can be built or resources can be taken. Players score points for completed buildings based on the building cards. Subtract one point for every unused space on your boards. The player with the most points wins the game!
Key Features
Drafting mechanic: The drafting mechanic adds a layer of strategy as you not only try to collect the resources you need but also aim to deny them to your opponents
Spatial puzzle: Fitting the different building shapes onto your player board creates a satisfying spatial puzzle element
Variable scoring: The use of different scoring cards each game keeps things fresh and introduces strategic decision-making
Pros 👍🏼
Easy to learn, challenging to master
Plays well at all player counts
High replay value: With the variable scoring cards and the challenge of optimizing your tiny town, Tiny Towns offers a high replay value. The expansions also add to this
Language independent: Besides the building cards which are easily translatable, the game is 100% language independent
Cons 👎🏼
Can be a little luck-based: Based on what your opponents choose, the game can be a bit frustrating if you're constantly denied the resources you need
Downtime can increase at higher player counts: As player count increases, so can the time it takes for everyone to draft their resources and build their structures
Expansions
Tiny Towns has three expansions available that add new buildings, resources, and mechanics to the game. These can extend the replayability and introduce new challenges for players who have mastered the base game. My favorite expansion is Architects, the newest one. Here’s my review for it
Conclusion
Tiny Towns is a beautiful game that started my obsession with visiting Millennium Games as often as possible. The rules are easy-to-learn, the game has loads of strategy, and the theme is super charming. If you liked Tetris, you’ll more than likely enjoy this game
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