Machi Koro has been a family game night staple at our house for years. You're going to want to add this to your game closet! Here's why...
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Let's start with a quick overview of the Machi Koro game!
Machi Koro Description
Machi Koro: Bright Lights is a completely stand-alone experience that plays 2-5 players right out of the box. What started as a sleepy town of cheese factories and wheat fields has become a hot tourist destination!
Explore the nightlife of Machi Koro with an all-new gameplay set-up that makes each game play completely unique without ever slowing down the high-paced fun or losing any of the original charms.
Game Night Details
GAME: Machi Koro: Bright Lights, Big City
PLAYERS: 2-5
PLAYING TIME: 30 minutes
AGE: 10+
Is Machi Koro Right For Your Family?
Let's go beyond the game itself and talk about your family's needs and preferences. Here are a few common family FAQs answered.
Machi Koro is a great game for adults and kids ten and up. The mix of strategy and luck make it a perfect choice for players of different ages to have fun together.
Strategy is important when playing Machi Koro, but the luck of the draw and dice keeps the game dynamic. This keeps it light and fun when players of different skill levels come together for game night.
Machi Koro is like Monopoly at its core; in both games, players purchase properties and save funds for investing in city development. However, Machi Koro is fast-paced, strategy-based, and offers a dynamic set-up with each game.
Machi Koro can feel intense and complicated the first few times you play. Once you get the hang of it the game is fast and is great for casual conversations and snacking between turns making it perfect for family game night.
Machi Koro is math dependent and does require individual players to be able to do basic addition and understand coin values.
The ability to read is required for Machi Koro. The game includes a wide variety of property cards with the purpose and rules of each explained on the card itself.
Machi Koro is a card based game making it a great on-the-go game for families. Simply remove the cards and dice from the box and keep the pieces together in a sealable plastic lunch bag to make the game portable!
FUN FACT: The game title Machi Koro can be translated to Around Town. The word "machi" means town, while "koro" means around and is also a Japanese onomatopoeia said when something is rolling, like dice.
Our Family Reviews of The Game
We lovingly call our family gaming quartet The Core Four. We believe a family that plays together stays together. Our game closet is overflowing, and we're here to share our favorite finds with you. This is our family rating system for games!
5-Star Game Rating System ★
5 ★★★★★ — I love this game and am always excited to play.
4 ★★★★— I like it! When do we play again?
3 ★★★— Meh. It's ok.
2 ★★— You're gonna have to talk me into it.
1 ★— I never want play this stinking game again. Let's get rid of it.
RELUCTANT GAMER MOM — ★★★★★
Machi Koro is our go-to game. While it might seem complex the first time out of the box, almost everything you need to know about the game is written on the cards themselves.
What I love is that there are so many different strategies that work when playing this card game. There is no one "right way" to win. It has been a game night staple at our house for the last two years.
Machi Koro is also a great on-the-go game. You can ditch the box and fit the entire game into a plastic Ziplock bag. We've played Machi Koro at the local coffee shop, at the airport while waiting for a flight, while camping — all you need is a table, a bit of space, and a drive to win.
GAMER DAUGHTER — ★★★★★
Machi Koro is one of my favorite games of all time! There are so many opportunities for new strategies.
DORK DAD — ★★★★★
Machi Koro is one of my all-time favorite family games. Buy cards and build your city. Collect fees from other players as they visit your coffee shops and restaurants. Invest your money quickly, because it won’t be long before the other players are stealing it away.
Game Daughter mops the floor in this game. She wins every time!
Machi Koro: The Final Family Verdict!
This game is hit with our family with a final verdict of ★★★★★ 5 out of 5 stars.
Not sure if it is a good fit for your house yet? Check out other people's comments on Amazon: READ MORE ABOUT MACHI KORO
Unfortunately, we've had Machi Koro for so long that the original version we own is no longer available. Don't fret! There are still some excellent options out there.
Find Machi Koro Online
Here are all the versions of this must-have family game currently available!
This 5th Anniversary version of Machi Koro is a "Global Smash Hit With More Than 1 Million Copies Sold." You can't go wrong with this most basic version of the game!
If your family falls in love with this game like ours did, you can take the original card game to the next level with this fun Machi Koro: The Harbor & Millionaire's Row expansion.
This expansion builds upon and requires the Machi Koro 5th Anniversary Edition to play. It adds new establishments like sushi bars, fishing boats, airports, vineyards, and more!
This is stand-alone sequel is the perfect game for adults, teens, and kids. It is a dynamic game where your strategy is constantly shifting as you build your own city and collect money when the dice rolls in your favor.
This version of Machi Koro runs most parallel to our beloved (and very old) Machi Koro: Bright Lights, Big City. It is a must-have for family game night.
No two games will be the same with Machi Koro Legacy! As you work your way through, new elements are constantly added into the mix to keep you on your toes.
We bought this for my partner for Christmas and played through the different games with the kids over holiday break. It was fun, but the constant rule changes can be challenging.
Definitely start with one of the starter versions of Machi Koro first. Throw this in your cart and hit "save for later" to bookmark this awesome game as future birthday or holiday gift.
We really do love this game. Here's a snapshot of one of our daughters teaching a friend to play Machi Koro on -40 winter day when school was canceled. Yes, negative forty degrees! Even though we were stuck inside...
Machi Koro + Friends (and hot soup) = Happy Kids
We think you'll love the game too!
Find The Best Games For Families
Not convinced Machi Koro is right for you? Still looking for the perfect choice for game night? Our gaming family has got you covered. Here are some other family-friendly game recommendations!
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