Estates

Designed by renowned game designer Klaus Zoch, this city-building game of auctions is for 2 to 5 players and plays in about 40 minutes. Players will take on the role of investors seeking to make the most money by developing buildings in The Estates.

Auctions will be held for the various building pieces in an effort to build The Estates – the city’s new, upscale development – in a manner that benefits each developer the most. All buildings in completed rows score positive points, while all buildings in incomplete rows score negative points. It is possible to have zero completed rows of buildings.

The active player will select one of the many wooden building pieces—Floor cube, Rooftop, Building Permit, Mayor, or Cancel cube—and hold an auction for it. Each of the other players may bid once for the chosen building piece or pass.

The player who purchased the building piece must then place it in The Estates. The game ends as soon as 2 rows of buildings are completed or if it is impossible to complete any more buildings. Players will then earn positive or negative points based on where their building is located within The Estates.

A game of The Estates can be played over several rounds to experience a shifting economy for a differing gameplay experience.