Suburbia Game Rules

Welcome to Suburbia, where building and managing your own city is the name of the game! In this urban planning game, I will guide you through the rules so you can create the ultimate cityscape.

To start, you will receive a board that represents your city. Each player will have their own board to manage. The board is divided into various zones, including residential, commercial, and industrial areas.

Throughout the game, you will aim to expand your city and increase its population. This can be accomplished by strategically placing tiles on your board.

When it comes to selecting tiles, you will have several options. You can purchase community tiles, which provide various benefits, such as parks or schools. You can also buy building tiles to increase your population, income, and reputation.

However, it’s important to consider the effects of each tile placement. Some tiles may generate negative effects, such as pollution or unemployment. Balancing the positive and negative impacts is crucial for maintaining a thriving city.

As you progress, you will need to manage your city’s resources, including money and population. You can earn income from your buildings and adjust your reputation based on the decisions you make.

Additionally, you will have the opportunity to interact with other players. I hope you’re ready to negotiate and make strategic choices to gain an edge over your opponents!

In this game, it’s all about balancing growth and sustainability. You want to create a city that is not only prosperous but also pleasant to live in.

So, are you ready to take on the challenge of building your own city? Let’s get started!

• 1 Population Board
• 1 Stacks Board
• 1 Supply Board
• 1 Real Estate Market
• 4 Borough Boards
• 8 Suburbs
• 8 Heavy Factories
• 8 Community Parks
• 1 “1 More Round”
• 32 A Tiles
• 36 B Tiles
• 32 C Tiles
• 20 Goal Tiles
• 4 player aids
• 1 Start Player Marker
• 60 coins
• 4 Reputation Cubes
• 4 Population Squares
• 12 Investment Markers
• 4 Income Cylinders

Setup

Hey there! Let’s get this game started by setting up the board. Grab three stacks of tiles and place them face down. Make sure each stack is labeled with a letter on the back – A, B, and C. Each stack should have the same number of tiles, so if there are two players, you’ll need 15 tiles per stack. For three players, 18 tiles per stack. And for four players, 21 tiles per stack.

If there are any tiles left over, just put them back in the box – we won’t be needing them for now.

When setting up the game, follow these steps:

First, position the Stacks Board and put the A, B, and C stacks on top of it.

Next, mix the 1 More Round tile with a specific number of tiles from the C stack. Use 6 tiles if there are 2 players, 9 tiles for 3 players, and 12 tiles for 4 players. Place these tiles face down at the bottom of the C stack. Additionally, take 4 more C tiles from the box and place them on the very bottom of the C stack.

Then, place 4 each of the Heavy Factory, Community Park, and Suburb tiles face up on their designated spaces.

Place the supply board and the coins on the designated area.

Finally, put the top 7 tiles from the A stack face up along the bottom edge of the Real Estate Market.

Don’t forget to shuffle the goals and place 1 random goal per player face up on their designated space.

Alright, let’s get started with setting up the game board! Each of us will need a Borough Board in front of us. Make sure there’s enough space below it for some tiles to be placed between the board and the table’s edge. I’ll place my Income Cylinder on the 0 Income space and my Reputation Cube on the 1 Reputation space.

Now, let’s place some tiles below our Borough Boards. We’ll need one Suburbs tile, one Community Park tile, and one Heavy Factory tile.

We’ll also need a Population Board to keep track of our Population, which is the “victory points” in Suburbia. Let’s place it on the table where everyone can see it. Each of us will put one Population Square on the 2 Population space.

Time to set our personal goals. Each of us will take 2 goal tiles from the supply, look at both of them, and choose 1 to keep. Make sure to keep it face down so the other players can’t see it. The goal we don’t choose goes back to the box.

Lastly, we’ll randomly pick a player to be the Start Player. They get the Start Player Marker.

Now, let’s talk about the objective of the game.

If you have the most people in your town , you win the game. If there’s a tie, the person with the best reputation among the tied players wins.

If there is another tie, the person who has the most money among the tied players wins. If the players are still tied, the person who has the most money left wins. And if they are still tied, they play another game of Suburbia to decide the winner of the first game.

How to Play

Hey there, let me break down the game play for you. It’s pretty simple, really! On my turn, I need to do four things in a specific order:

• I. Take and place 1 tile or place 1 Investment Marker in my borough.
• II. Collect or pay money (depending on my Income ).
• III. Adjust Population on the Population Board (based on my Reputation ).
• IV. Add a new tile to the Real Estate Market.

I. Take and place 1 tile or place 1 investment marker

First up, I have two options:

• A. I can take 1 tile and add it to my borough, or
• B. I can place 1 Investment Marker on a tile in my borough to “invest” in that tile.

A. Getting a Tile from the Real Estate Market

When I want to get a new tile from the Real Estate Market, I have to pay the cost that’s written on the tile itself, plus any additional cost that’s shown on the Real Estate Market. So, I add up the two costs and pay that amount to the supply. After paying, I can choose where to place the new tile beside one of my existing tiles. But, I have to be careful because when I place the new tile, it may have an effect on my other tiles and even other players’ tiles.

Once the new tile is placed, its effects can be triggered. For example, if I place a new tile right next to an existing Community Park , it will increase the value of .

When it comes to playing the game of Suburbia, there are a couple of important factors you need to consider: Income and Reputation. These two factors play a critical role in the game, as they determine your success or failure.

Income and Reputation have set limits that you cannot go below or above. They cannot fall below -5 or rise above 15. If you reach these limits, any adjustments you make will stop at those points. It’s important to keep this in mind as you make decisions throughout the game.

Now, let’s talk about how you can acquire tiles in Suburbia. The most common way is by purchasing tiles from the Real Estate Market. However, there is another option available to you. You have the choice to take a basic tile instead of a tile from the Real Estate Market. The basic tiles available are Suburb, Community Park, and Heavy Factory.

If you decide to take a basic tile, you only have to pay the cost listed on the tile. Once you’ve paid for it, you can place it on the board just like any other tile. It’s important to note that there is a limited supply of these basic tiles. If they run out during the game, you won’t be able to acquire them anymore. So, make your decisions wisely and consider the availability of these tiles.

Choosing a tile for your very own lake

Have you ever considered creating a stunning lake at home? It may sound like a challenging task, but with the right tile, you can transform any space into a serene water oasis.

Imagine walking into a room that instantly transports you to the calming shores of a beautiful lake. With the right tile, you can bring this dream to life. Whether you prefer a natural stone or a sleek glass tile, there are endless possibilities to choose from.

When selecting a tile for your lake, take a moment to consider the overall atmosphere you want to create. Are you looking for a rustic escape, or do you prefer a contemporary design? By understanding your desired style, you can narrow down your options and find the perfect tile.

It’s also important to think about the practical aspects of your tile choice. Will the tile be exposed to moisture or heavy foot traffic? Make sure to find a tile that is durable and resistant to water damage. By taking these factors into account, you can ensure that your lake tile will not only look beautiful but also stand the test of time.

Furthermore, consider the color and texture of the tile. Do you want a tile that mimics the shimmering surface of a lake, or do you prefer a more subdued look? The color and texture of the tile can greatly impact the overall feel of your space, so choose wisely.

Lastly, don’t forget to think about maintenance. A tile that is easy to clean and maintain will make your life much easier. Look for tiles that are stain-resistant and require minimal upkeep.

So, if you’re ready to take your home to the next level, consider choosing a tile to create your very own lake. With the right tile, you can elevate your space and transform it into a tranquil retreat. Start exploring your options today and turn your vision into a reality.

When you want to add a lake to your tile collection, you’ll need to pick a tile from the Real Estate Market. The cost you’ll pay is the one printed on the market, not the one on the tile itself. Once you’ve chosen the tile, place it face down next to one or more of your existing tiles. It doesn’t matter if those tiles are face up or face down. The cool thing is that you’ll receive $2 for each tile adjacent to the new lake tile you placed.

, , , or – all of them will allow you to score that sweet $2 for each surrounding tile.

If I put another , , , or next to a , I get $2 from the supply. But if I place another next to an existing lake, I don’t get the extra $2. Now, let’s talk about placing an Investment Marker. I can put it on any of my tiles, including a lake, as long as there isn’t already an Investment Marker on it.

If you choose to do this instead of taking and placing a tile, you have to pay the cost of that tile again. Then, you place an Investment Marker on the left corner of that tile, covering its price. An Investment Marker doubles the effects of the tile it’s placed on. Let’s say you place an Investment Marker on a Community Park, which normally gives you +1 Population for each adjacent tile. With the Investment Marker, it would give you +2 Population for each adjacent tile. Similarly, if you place an Investment Marker on a Residential Area, it would give you +2 Income for each adjacent Commercial tile, Industrial tile, or Office tile. When you place an Investment Marker, you don’t place a tile at the same time.

When you place an Investment Marker, it won’t affect the special features of other tiles. For example, if you place an Investment Marker on a Community Park next to a Heavy Factory, it won’t activate the special ability of the Heavy Factory again.

An Investment Marker has a lasting impact throughout the game. For example, let’s say there’s a Community Park with an Investment Marker on it. If you place another tile next to the park and there’s already an Investment Marker on it, you’ll get double the benefits. That means you’ll receive twice the points, resulting in a total of 14 points. This shows how the Investment Marker can significantly boost your score.

II. Earning or Spending Money (Based on Income)

When it comes to money, I bet you’ve wondered how people make it and what they do with it. Well, today, I’m going to dive into this topic and talk about earning and spending money based on the income you receive.

You see, money is a powerful tool. It can help you achieve your dreams and live a comfortable life. But it can also cause stress and worry if you don’t manage it wisely. That’s why understanding how to earn and spend money based on your income is so important.

Now, when someone earns money, they usually do so by working. They might have a salaried job, where they receive a fixed amount of money each month. Or they might have an hourly job, where they get paid based on the number of hours they work. Some people even have their own businesses and earn money from the products or services they offer.

Once you have money, it’s important to make smart decisions about how you use it. You need to prioritize your needs and wants, and make sure you have enough for both. For example, you need to pay for essential things like food, housing, and clothing. These are the things you can’t live without. But you also have wants, like going out to eat or buying toys and games. These are the things that make life fun and enjoyable.

But here’s the catch – you can’t always have everything you want right away. Sometimes, you have to save up for things or wait until you have enough money. This is where budgeting comes in. Budgeting is a way to plan how you will spend your money. It helps you allocate your income to different categories, so you know where your money is going.

By following a budget, you can make sure you have enough money for the things you need, while still being able to enjoy the things you want. It’s all about finding the right balance between saving and spending. And if you’re smart about it, you can even save some money for the future or for emergencies.

So, whether you’re earning money or spending it, always remember to make it work for you. Use it to achieve your goals and live a life that brings you joy. And don’t forget to save some for a rainy day. By understanding the importance of money and how to manage it wisely, you can create a brighter financial future for yourself.

When my Income Cylinder shows a positive number, I get that much money from the supply. But if it’s on a negative number, I owe money and have to pay it right away. If I don’t have enough, I pay what I can and then move my Population Square back one space for every dollar I still owe.

I can’t let my Population go below 0. So if I can’t move my Population Square any further back and I still owe money, nothing happens.

III. Adjust Population (based on reputation)

I increase or decrease my Population on the Population Board by the amount where my Reputation Cube is located. If my Population reaches 0, moving back further costs me $1 per Population. But if I can’t pay, nothing happens. I just stay on the 0 spot.

When your borough grows, it becomes more expensive to maintain, and its “small town” charm starts vanishing – you can see this on the population track with the Red Lines. If your population crosses a Red Line, your Income and Reputation both decrease by 1 (moving to the left) for each Red Line you cross. But if your population falls below a Red Line (which might happen if your Reputation is negative), you move both your Income Cylinder and Reputation Cube forward (to the right) by one space.

When you play a tile, things can get a little complicated. Sometimes, you’ll need to make several adjustments. If you cross the Red Line with your population, you have to immediately lower your Income and Reputation by one space. It doesn’t matter if you still have other adjustments to make or not.

Now, if lowering your Income or Reputation would bring them down to less than -5, you just keep them at -5.

During a regular turn in the game, if your Population reaches over 150, you have to place your Population Square on the lowest line of the Population Board. It’s like there’s a red line after every even number starting from 150 (152, 154, 156, and so on).

IV. Settle the property market

When I place a basic tile or an Investment Marker, I have to do one more thing – I have to pick up a tile from below the Real Estate Market. The cost of that tile is shown right above it on the Real Estate Market. If there is no cost shown, I don’t have to pay anything. Then, I discard the tile I picked onto a discard pile.

After that, I have to slide the remaining tiles on the Real Estate Market to the right to fill in the gap left by the tile I discarded. This means that every turn, one tile will always be removed. Next, I flip over a new tile from the current stack, which is Stack A in the beginning, and place it at the far left of the Real Estate Market. When Stack A is empty, I start flipping tiles from Stack B. When Stack B is empty, I move on to flipping tiles from Stack C.

The game ends

When you flip over the 1 More Round tile, it signals the end of the current round and initiates another full round, starting with the Start Player.

Throughout the game, everyone should have taken the same number of turns.

Once the last player completes their turn, it’s time for final scoring, which consists of two parts:

First, the goals are awarded. Make sure to do this before converting money to population.

The population bonuses earned from accomplishing goals and converting money to population at the end of the game will not activate the Income and Reputation penalties.

These penalties are what lower the Red Lines.

Award Goals

When you place goals on the Real Estate Market, the Population bonus that comes with each of them is given to one player who successfully achieves those goals. If there is a tie between two or more players, none of them receive the Population bonus for that particular goal.

After that, it’s time for each player to reveal their secret goals in the order of their turns. If a player has successfully achieved their secret goal without tying with anyone else, they receive the Population bonus associated with that goal.

Remember, only the owner of a secret goal tile can receive the Population bonus for accomplishing their secret goal.

Exchanging Money for Population

Hey there, let me break it down for you. When it’s time to convert your money into population in the game, here’s what happens: for every $5 you put into the supply, you get 1 Population. But wait, any leftover money you have is yours to keep! It can come in handy later as a tiebreaker at the 3rd level.