Cloud City (2020) Board Game

Cloud City is a city-building board game designed by Phil Walker-Harding and published by Blue Orange (EU). It was released in 2020 and is suitable for 2 to 4 players, with a playing time of 30 to 60 minutes. The game is aimed at players aged 10 and above and features artwork by Fabrice ROS. Cloud City falls under the category of city-building games and incorporates mechanics such as network and route building, as well as tile placement.

Game Components of Cloud City

Cloud tiles: These are the core building blocks of the game, each featuring two colored squares.

Buildings: Matching colored buildings are placed on the Cloud tiles.

Walkway tiles: These connect buildings of the same color and come in various lengths.

Special Request cards: Optional cards that add additional scoring or penalty criteria.

Starting tiles: Each player has a unique starting tile based on their turn order.

How To Setup Cloud City

To set up Cloud City, each player begins with a specific starting tile determined by their turn order. The buildings depicted on this starter tile are placed accordingly. Each player draws a starting hand of three Cloud tiles from the shuffled supply. For a more advanced game, a Special Request card can be randomly chosen and placed on the table. In a 4-player game, the player area forms a 3×3 grid, while in 2 and 3-player games, it forms a 3×4 grid.

Gameplay Mechanics and Game Objective

Tile Placement: Players place a Cloud tile from their hand adjacent to existing tiles in their city.

Building Placement: Buildings are placed on the newly added tile, matching the colored squares.

Walkway Construction: Optional phase where players can build walkways connecting buildings of the same color using available walkway tiles.

Hand Management: Players draw a new Cloud tile to replenish their hand to three tiles at the end of each turn.

Game Objective: The goal is to score the most points by building walkways and potentially fulfilling Special Request card criteria.

Player Experience

Cloud City offers a visually appealing and engaging experience as players watch their cities rise and the maze of walkways unfold. The game requires spatial puzzling to visualize where buildings and walkways will be placed, adding a layer of strategy and hand management. Players must balance waiting for the right tiles with the urgency of building before resources are depleted by other players.

Pros

Accessible Rules: Easy to learn and teach, with rules that can be explained in just a few minutes.

Visual Appeal: The 3D cityscape and walkways create a beautiful and immersive environment.

Strategic Depth: Combines simple rules with complex spatial and hand management strategies.

Family-Friendly: Suitable for both children and adults.

Cons

Limited Complexity: Some players might find the game too light or simple.

Resource Limitations: The availability of walkway tiles can limit strategic options.

Luck of the Draw: The random draw of Cloud tiles can affect gameplay significantly.

Personal Thoughts on Cloud City

Cloud City is an excellent choice for those who enjoy light to medium-weight games with a strong focus on spatial reasoning and hand management. It is particularly suited for families or casual gamers looking for a game that is easy to learn but still offers a challenge. The game’s accessibility and visual appeal make it a great addition to any board game collection. However, experienced gamers seeking high complexity might find it less engaging.

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