Andrew Lynch
I’m not big on apps for board games. I always think it’s a great idea. “If only there were an app for Spirit Island, I’d play it all the time,” he said, before there was an app for Spirit Island, which he rarely if ever plays. Games without people and/or tactility are not, it turns out, of much interest to me.
But, look. Everybody poops, right? Everybody needs to zone out for five or six minutes on the subway, or in line at the Trader Joe’s. These brief windows of time, moments that used to be filled with idle thoughts, with the random burst of neurons that lead to thinks like the polio vaccine and the theory of relativity, need to be filled with something. For that we have apps.
And thank god. I have poured hours or possibly days of my life, minutes at a time, into Race for the Galaxy, into Tichu, into Lost Cities. And now we have My City, a natural fit for the app treatment. Games play in a matter of minutes even in real life, there isn’t much that needs to fit on the screen, and what player interaction there is is limited to overhearing someone mutter, “Oh, [redacted]” under their breath.
More than that, a campaign of My City is ideal for the format. You got three minutes to kill? Complete an episode. You got ten minutes? Get in a whole chapter! Who’s stopping you? The interface is smooth, the music is pleasant, the AI is solid, and there are even daily challenges. My only issue is that, like just about any digital implementation of any board game with table presence, playing it digitally is much less strategic. Not that My City has depth, per sé, but I do rely on seeing my tiles on the table to plan ahead. There’s an option to look at them here, but it’s not the same thing.
Kevin, what are your thoughts?
Kevin Brantley
Echoing much of the same sentiment here. While I appreciate that there are mobile options for board games, I’ve never really been drawn to playing them. I live in Chicago, and my work commute gives me plenty of downtime, but I usually find myself listening to a book rather than playing games (though I will have Board Game Arena open at the office to catch up on my tables!). That’s just my personal preference, but I genuinely think the My City adaptation is fantastic.
The animations are smooth, and placing a building has a satisfying “snap” to it. Add in the strong color contrast and a zen soundtrack, and this quickly becomes my preferred way to play.
Many digital versions are making their physical counterparts feel obsolete, whether through BGA, Steam, or mobile adaptations, and this one falls into that category. Being able to finish a chapter in 10 minutes saves so much time and table space. Even completing an episode only takes a few minutes, which is perfect for a bathroom break or while waiting for a food order. The AI opponents are well done and offer healthy competition across variable difficulty levels. Online play adds another avenue to compete with players around the world. And echoing Andrew, the daily challenges are a great touch to keep you coming back.
If you’re a fan of any of the My City games (like My City: Roll and Build) and you enjoy mobile gaming, this is a no-brainer. The text and symbology are easy to read, and the UI is intuitive. The starting tutorial is short, sweet, and accessible even for players without board game experience. It’s interesting that this developer also handled the digital version of Maracaibo, which, last I heard, was plagued with bugs and small text (Android, that is). Maybe they’ve learned from past mistakes, and I hope they continue making digital adaptations. This port is a first-class ode to the classic Knizia design, and I honestly can’t find anything negative to say. And at a handsome price of $6.99, there is tremendous value for a lot of game.
My City details
- Designer: Reiner Knizia
- Artists: Michael Menzel
- Publishers: 999 Games, Brädspel.se, Devir, Galakta, Giochi Uniti, IELLO, Kaissa Chess & Games, Korea Boardgames co., Ltd., KOSMOS, Lautapelit.fi, Piatnik, Zvezda
- Release Date: 2020
- Player count : 2 - 4
- Age range : 10+
- Time range : 30 minutes
- Mechanism(s): Bingo, Catch the Leader, Enclosure, Grid Coverage, Legacy Game, Scenario / Mission / Campaign Game, Tile Placement, Victory Points as a Resource
- BGG Geek Rating: - converted to Meeple Mountain scale: .
- More articles about My City.
