Grease Monkey Garage (2017) Board Game

Grease Monkey Garage is a board game released in 2017, designed by Fedor Sosnin. It is a print & play game in the transportation category, with a runtime of 30-40 minutes and suitable for players aged 8 and above. The game involves modular board and worker placement mechanisms, allowing 2-4 players to compete in building and managing their own car repair shop.

Game Components of Grease Monkey Garage

47 cards

56 tokens

14 standees

Shop cards

Calendar card

Score card

Vehicle cards

Resource tokens

Stash cards

Specialists

Reputation markers

Employee of the Month card

First player card

How To Setup Grease Monkey Garage

To set up the game, lay out the shop cards in a 4 x 2 grid, with each card placed in numerical order based on the chosen difficulty level. Place the calendar card and score card above the shop cards, and the calendar token on the first space of the calendar card. Shuffle the vehicle cards and place them face down, then draw and place a number of vehicle cards face up below the deck, equal to the number of players plus one. Distribute resource tokens beside the corresponding shop cards. Each player chooses a color, receives the corresponding stash card, and gets three specialists. Players also receive two reputation markers in their color and place them on the zero spaces of the reputation card. Mechanics are placed on the four shop cards in the corners of the grid, and the Employee of the Month card is set aside for later use. The first player is chosen and given the first player card.

Gameplay Mechanics and Game Objective

Game Category: Worker Placement

Game Time: 30-45 minutes for 2-4 players (12 rounds for 2 players)

Number of Players: 2-4

Objective: Players take on the role of shift managers at a local auto shop, managing mechanics and resources while fixing customers’ vehicles to earn the highest reputation.

Rounds: The game is played over 10 rounds (12 for 2 players).

Mechanics Movement: Players move mechanics to adjacent cards to perform actions.

Specialists: Players can move specialists to perform additional actions.

Resource Management: Players must manage resources and spare parts.

Player Experience

Grease Monkey Garage offers a fun and engaging experience with its unique twist on worker placement mechanics. Players enjoy moving mechanics and specialists around the shop cards to perform various actions, which affects the next player’s turn. The game is simple to teach and quick to play, making it an excellent choice for family game nights. As players progress, they can add more specialists, allowing them to work on more cards and enhance their chances of winning.

Pros

Family Friendly: Suitable for the whole family.

Quick Gameplay: Most game sessions last around 45 minutes.

Simple to Teach: Easy to learn and understand.

Engaging Mechanics: Unique worker placement system with moving mechanics and specialists.

Nice Artwork: Simplistic yet fun and light artwork.

Cons

Limited Complexity: May not appeal to experienced gamers seeking more complex games.

Component Quality: Hope for improved components, such as heat-printed meeples or stickers, in future editions.

Personal Thoughts on Grease Monkey Garage

Grease Monkey Garage is ideal for families and casual gamers who enjoy light, fun games. It is particularly recommended for fans of games like Little Circuses and Mint Works. The game’s simplicity and quick gameplay make it a great addition to any family game collection, and its engaging mechanics ensure that players of all ages will have a enjoyable time.

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