- BGG rank
- BGG #8,242
- BGG rating
- 6.2
Card City XL
- 1–4 players
- 15–45 min
- Complexity 2.9/5
- 2017
- BGG rank
- BGG #11,584
- BGG rating
- 6.0
Card City
2012
Rules assistance for Card City
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 1–4 players
- 30 min
- 12+
- Complexity 2.0/5
Rules assistant for Card City
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Card City is a board game released in 2012 for 1–4 players, 30 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Alban Viard and its main mechanics are Tile Placement, Open Drafting, and I Cut, You Choose.
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About the game
In Card City – part of Alban Viard's "Small City" trilogy of games, which includes the similar but three-dimensional Town Center – you will take on the role of the newly sworn-in Mayor. Your job is to encourage the growth of the residential, commercial, industrial and cultural districts that make up your home and to satisfy the demands of the city's residents. Card City includes six type of cards: Residences, Commercials, Industries, Leisure, Parking and City Hall. The game is divided into ten rounds, and each round consists of five phases: Players gain two new buildings (i.e., two cards) through an "I cut, you choose" game mechanism that includes hidden cards. Each player constructs the new buildings in his city according to zoning laws. When the environment is favorable, residential and commercial districts attract new citizens, and the cities begin to evolve. Players earn money from their city thanks to their commercial districts. The first player position changes. At the end of the game, a district of one residence card scores 1 victory point (VP), a district of two residence cards scores 1+2 VPs, a district of three residence cards scores 1+2+3 VPs, and so on. In addition, each five money left is worth 1 VP. If the player has not finished his city, he earns negative points!
Designers
Publishers
- Ludibay
Questions and answers
Card City supports 1–4 players according to the catalogue. This range comes from the publisher’s listed player count, so the game can be set up for any group size within it. Some setups, rules and scoring details may still vary by player count, so check your edition’s rulebook for the exact configuration.
The listed playing time for Card City is 30 minutes. This is the publisher’s estimate for a full game. The actual duration depends on the group, the player count and familiarity with the rules: first sessions usually run longer, while experienced groups often finish faster. Setup and teaching time are not included in this estimate.
The catalogue lists Card City for ages 12 and up. This is the publisher’s recommendation and reflects reading demands, rule complexity and small components rather than theme alone. Younger players can often join with help from an adult, so check the age guidance on your edition and consider your group’s experience with board games.
Card City has a complexity rating of 2.0 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-light game. The rating reflects how much rules knowledge, planning and decision-making a typical game demands. Expect a longer first teach for heavier games, and use a preparation guide before game night.
Card City belongs to these categories: Card Game, Economic, and Territory Building. Its main mechanics are Tile Placement, Open Drafting, and I Cut, You Choose. Categories describe the theme and setting of a game, while mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you want something comparable.
The credited designers of Card City are: Alban Viard. These credits come from the published game data and name the people responsible for the game’s design, not its illustrators or publishers. Designer pages on MeepleRules collect other titles by the same designers, which helps when you enjoy a game and want to find similar ones.
The catalogue lists Card City as a base game. It can be played on its own with the components in the box and does not require any other title. Expansions, if any exist, add new content or rules on top of it and are listed separately in the catalogue with a link back to this base game.