
- BGG rating
- 7.3
Nostra City: Goodies Cards
- 3–5 players
- 60 min
- Complexity 2.7/5
- 2009

2009
Rules assistance for Nostra City
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
For 3 players

What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Nostra City is a board game released in 2009 for 3–5 players, 60 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by David Rakoto and Sébastien Gigaudaut and its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Auction / Bidding, and Team-Based Game.
New-York, sometime in the 90's. War rages between organized crime and the Feds. After years of procedure, surveillance and undercover work, Johnny Gota, the Godfather of the biggest crime syndicate in the “Big Apple” has been arrested and faces 246 charges ranging from simple extortion to homicide. After what promises to be an explosive trial, the Don will probably end up in a locked subterranean cell for 23 hours a day for the rest of his life. He's made it known to his faithful lieutenants that if he gets off scot-free, he'll retire and leave his place to whoever takes the best care of the Family's business while he is away... For the Made Men, the message is clear: corrupting the jury, bumping off witnesses, and bribery will decide the verdict of the trial! Not only that, the race for honor has also begun! But to some, power isn't earned – it's taken! The players play the role of the Boss' lieutenants, who are supposed to manage the Family's business and plot to get their leader cleared. But turncoats hide among them, people who want the Boss to be found guilty just so that they can lay claim to the Family by force, or because it's their job as undercover FBI agents! Nostra City is a fictional-reality game starring a New-York crime syndicate as it appears in Gangster movies: a cruel and violent world where, under the cover of a tradition of silence and loyalty, everything is allowed.
Nostra City supports 3–5 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 Nostra City is 60 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 Nostra 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.
Nostra City has a complexity rating of 2.5 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.
Nostra City belongs to these categories: Card Game, Negotiation, and Mafia. Its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Auction / Bidding, and Team-Based Game. 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 Nostra City are: David Rakoto and Sébastien Gigaudaut. 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 Nostra 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.