New York City

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• Setup
  • • Place the game board.
    • Place the elevator display boards next to the main board.
    • Sort the character tiles into light and dark backs.
      • Light tiles: Split these between values 1 and 5 and shuffle the 2 stacks face down. Then, reveal pairs of 1 and 5 tiles (5 stacked on 1) equal to the number of players + 1.
      • Dark tiles: Split these up by their values (1-5) and shuffle them separately into face down stacks placed on the matching elevator value. Then reveal 4 tiles from each number (to the right of the elevator).
    • Shuffle the sequence tiles face down and randomly place 1 in each borough, then turn them face up.
    • Shuffle the base value tiles face down and randomly place 1 in each borough, then turn them face up.
    • Mix the 10 prestige tiles face down and then stack them in their spot on the board (face down).
    • Place the Statue of Liberty tile in its place on the board with the "4" side up.
    • Place the vessels on their matching (color) connections between the districts.
    • Create a supply of dollars near the board.
    • Shuffle the cards and place them face down near the board.
    • Place 2 neutral skyscrapers on each borough.
    • Place the neutral press token on the press track based on player count:
      • 2 players: Space 8
      • 3 players: Space 7
      • 4 players: Space 6
    • Place the mayor token near the board.
    • Each player should choose a color and:
      • Take a player board.
      • Take all of their skyscrapers.
        • Place 1 skyscraper on the borough with the "X" tile.
        • Place 4 skyscrapers on their player board.
        • Place the rest of their skyscrapers in a general supply near the board.
      • Place their score marker on the 0 space of the point track.
      • Take a press token.
      • Take 1 dollar.
      • Take 2 cards from the deck and place them face up below their player board.
    • Choose a start player and then, in clockwise order, stack each player's press token on the start space with the 1st player's on top and the last players on the bottom.
    • In reverse turn order (press token stack), players select 1 set of 2 start characters and places them above their board.
      • All leftover start characters can be returned to the box.
• Gameplay

  • The game is played over 5 rounds, with each round consisting of 4 phases.

    General Rules

    • Player order and tie breaks are done via the press track.
      • If there are multiple tokens on the same space, the one on top is furthest ahead.
      • If you reach the last space on the track, place your token at the bottom of the stack on that space.
    • Character cards have either a phase they activate in (I/II/III) or an end game symbol (→|).
      • To use a character, you must pay 1 dollar, except for characters that score you end game points.
  • Phase 0: Prepare the Game Round
    • • Return any dollars placed on characters.
      • Move the mayor to the next borough in alphabetical order (A -> E).
        • If this is the 1st round, place him in the "A" borough.
        • Flip the tile over in the current borough and move him to the next one.
        • The mayor never enters the "X" borough.
      • Reveal the top 2 prestige tiles and place them on their spots near the stack.
      • Each player draws 3 cards from the deck.
      • Deal out a number of pairs of cards face up based on the player count (2 x number of players + 1):
        • 4 players: 9 pairs
        • 3 players: 7 pairs
        • 2 players: 5 pairs
  • Phase I: Select Cards
    • • In reverse player order (press tokens), each player takes 1 pair of cards. Do this a 2nd time so that each player has taken 2 pairs.
  • Phase II: 6 Bidding Rounds
    • • The 6 rounds pertains to the 6 different types of cards (not counting wilds).
        • The order and types are shown on your player board.
      • During this phase, players may exchange 1 of their cards in hand for 1 of the cards in their reserve.
        • Your reserve will always have 2 cards in it.
        • You cannot play cards from your reserve.
      • The bidding always proceeds in clockwise order, not in player order.
      • Each auction is once around.
      • The player furthest ahead starts the 1st bidding round.
      • In rounds 2-5, the player who won the last bid starts the round.
      • When bidding:
        • Play any number of cards matching the round + wild cards.
        • Wild cards cannot be played on their own.
        • 2 identical cards may be played as any other card. Note that it only counts as 1 card for the purpose of the total.
        • Your total bid is the number of cards + any abilities on characters.
      • The highest bid gets the bonus (usually a "+1").
        • Break ties via the press track.
      • All players perform the related action in press track order (when relevant). e.g. Players can always take their dollars simultaneously (round 2), but moving on the press track (round 1) is done in order.

      Actions by Round

      1. In press track order, each player advances a number of spaces equal to their bid.
         • If you land on another token, place yours on top, unless it is the last space, then it is placed on the bottom.
         • Highest bid bonus: Advance 1 extra space.
      2. Take a number of dollars equal to your bid.
         • Highest bid bonus: Gain 1 extra dollar.
      3. Take 1 character from the display with a value <= to their bid value.
         • Highest bid bonus: +1 bidding value for choosing a character.
      4. Players take a number of their skyscrapers from the supply equal to their bid value.
         • Highest bid bonus: Gain 1 additional skyscraper.
      5. Gain a number of points equal to your bid value
         • Highest bid bonus: Select 1 of the 2 prestige tiles from the board and place it on 1 of boroughs connected by a matching vessel. Then take that vessel and place 1 skyscraper in that same borough.
         • 2nd Highest bid bonus: Select the remaining prestige tile from the board and repeat the process as the highest bidder did.
         • Players can forfeit their bid bonus (usually because they don't want to increase a borough's value).
         • Any leftover prestige tiles are removed from the game.
      6. Place a number of skyscrapers from your player board and place them in the borough with the mayor.
         • If a player has skyscrapers on their board, they must build them.
         • If a player has no skyscrapers on their board, they may move 1 skyscraper from another borough to the mayor's borough.
         • Highest bid bonus: Build 1 additional skyscraper.
      7. The 1st player to have built a skyscraper in all boroughs flips the Statue of Liberty tile and gains 4 points.
         • If more than 1 player has done this at the end of the same bidding round, all players get the 4 points.
  • Phase III: Activating Phase III Characters
    • 1. In player order, players may spend 1 dollar (each) to activate each of their phase III characters.
      2. All leftover cards in a players' hands are discarded.
• Game End

  • The game ends after the 5th round. Score as follows.

    • Each character scores a number of points equal to the value in the top right of the card.
    • Calculate characters end game points (with a →| symbol).
    • Score the 6 boroughs. Players earn points based on their rank (number of skyscrapers) in each borough, with ties broken by the press track.
      • Important: When determining rank, include the neutral skyscrapers. e.g. If someone has only 1 skyscraper in a borough, they rank below the neutrals.
      • If you have no skyscrapers in a borough, you do not score any points there.
      • The total points for a borough is always the base tile plus any prestige tiles in the borough.
      • 1st: Score the total number points.
      • 2nd: Half the number of points for 1st, rounded up.
      • 3rd: Half the number of points for 2nd, rounded up.
      • 4th: Half the number of points for 3rd, rounded up.
      • 5th: Half the number of points for 4th, rounded up.
    • Each player who built skyscrapers in all 6 boroughs earns 3 points.
    • Each player who reached at least space 5 on the press track scores 3 points.
    • Add dollars + skyscrapers on player boards (not the supply) and divide by 2, rounded up, and score that many points.

    The player with the most points wins. Break ties in press track order.

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