Flip City is a small deck building game from Tasty Minstrel Games, and was a source of contention between my husband and myself throughout the Spring. You see, all I wanted to do was beat him at it, and it never happened! Game after game, I would get so close, only to see Ryan whoop me right before I could lay out my 8 victory points!
Press Your Luck
One of the most important elements of the game consists of how far you want to go without going over. There are six card types, and each card has the ability to be flipped to the other side. However, you can’t flip until you’ve paid to do so!
Some of the cards have a sad face icon, and three sad faces within one turn means that your turn ends immediately and all of your cards have to be placed into your discard pile. The “press your luck” element really adds an excitement factor to the game, and it’s so much fun to watch your opponent go over.
People who have played other deck builders like Dominion and Legendary will quickly grasp the game play. Once you play a couple rounds, the mechanics of the game make sense.
Develop Your City
As you play your cards, you’ll notice a coin with a numerical value. This money allows you to build and develop your city, and you may choose to do so anyway you’d like. You can chose to develop your city by using your money to flip your cards, or you can build by obtaining new properties.
It might take a few times of playing to figure out a strategy that works for you. The goal is to play 8 victory points during a single phase or to play 18 cards in one run using the Convenience Store card. If you do so, you’ve won!
Like most deck builders, you will shuffle your cards often. After you cycle through your cards, you’ll shuffle to ready the deck again. In Flip City, it can be a little frustrating since the cards are double sided. There have been a couple times when someone dropped some cards and they didn’t know what side they were suppose to be on. It’s not a big deal, but it’s definitely something that is unique to this game.
Who is This Game For?
This game box says it’s created for 1 to 4 players and it works surprisingly well with 2. The more players you have, the longer the game lasts. The 8 and up recommended age is pretty accurate. Our 8 year old understands it well and enjoys playing.
As a family, we love the fact that it only takes around 30 to 40 minutes to play, which is especially appealing when trying to play on a weeknight. I would definitely recommend this game to couples or small families that want the challenge of a card flipping city building game.
You can purchase a copy of Flip City at your local game shop or through Amazon today.
Highs
- Quick game play allows for multiple games at one sitting
- Easy to learn and teach
- Plays well with kids and adults
Lows
- “Press Your Luck” aspect can be frustrating early in the game
- Shuffling is an art since the cards are double sided
