Overview

Happy City is a city-building card game where players compete to construct the happiest city. Each round, players earn income, then buy building cards to add to their city. Happiness is calculated by multiplying the number of inhabitants by the number of hearts on your cards. The player with the highest happiness score wins.

Components

• 30 coins (20 small denomination, 10 large denomination)
• 140 cards total:
  • 66 Building cards (3 different decks with different backs indicating cost ranges)
  • 5 Happy Market cards
  • 1 Prem’s card (first player marker)
  • 12 Dwelling cards
  • 56 Special Building cards (18 Family version, 38 Expert version)

Setup

1. The happiest player takes the Prem’s card and becomes the 1st player for the entire game.
2. Randomly place Special Building cards (Family version, conditions side up) on the table. Use the number of players plus 2 cards (e.g., 5 cards for 3 players). Return the rest to the box.
3. Each player receives:
   • 2 coins
   • 1 Happy Market card (white side up), placed as the 1st card in their city
4. Return remaining Happy Market cards to the box.
5. Shuffle the 3 Building decks separately and place them face down in the center of the table.
6. Sort the Dwelling cards by type into 3 identical piles. Each pile has 1 card fewer than the number of players (e.g., 2 of each for 3 players).
7. Collect all remaining coins to form the bank.

Turn Structure

Each round consists of two phases:

A. Income Phase

All players simultaneously receive money from the bank equal to the sum of the income symbols shown at the bottom of the cards in their city (1st round: 1 coin from the Happy Market).

B. Action Phase

Players take turns clockwise, beginning with the 1st player. On your turn, perform these steps in order:

1. (Optional) Discard ONE visible Building card from the central area. Discard piles are face down; players may not look through them.
2. (Mandatory) Ensure there are 3 visible cards in the central area by drawing cards one-by-one from any of the 3 Building decks.
3. (Mandatory) Choose ONE of the following:
   • Purchase 1 of the 3 visible Building cards from the central area
   • Purchase 1 Dwelling card
   • Purchase nothing and take 1 coin from the bank
4. (Optional) If your city cards meet the conditions on an available Special Building card, take it and add it to your city (name side up).

Actions

Purchasing Cards

• Pay the bank the amount indicated at the top of the card.
• Place the purchased card in your city in a line of 5 cards from left to right, then start a 2nd line underneath.
• A player cannot own 2 cards with the same name.

Special Buildings

• Conditions are shown at the top of the Special Building card: you must have the required number and colors of cards in your city.
• Conditions may have been met in this round or a previous round.
• Each player can take only ONE Special Building card during the entire game.
• The Special Building’s income counts for all future income phases; its inhabitants and/or hearts count at end-game scoring.

Deck Exhaustion

If a Building deck runs out, shuffle its discard pile to create a new deck.

Scoring / Victory Conditions

The game ends as soon as any player places their 10th city card (including a Special Building). The current round continues until the last player has taken their turn.

• You may never play an 11th card, even if it is a Special Building.
• Calculate happiness: Inhabitants x Hearts = Happiness Points
• Subtract 1 for each crossed-out inhabitant or heart symbol.
• The player with the most points wins.
• Tiebreaker: The player with the most coins remaining wins.

Special Rules & Edge Cases

• Expert Version adjustments (for experienced players):
  • Use the Expert Special Building cards (red) instead of Family version cards (pink).
  • Play with the colored sides of the Happy Market cards: after Special Building cards are drawn, place all 5 Happy Market cards colored side up. The last player (to the right of the 1st player) chooses first, then selection proceeds counter-clockwise, ending with the 1st player.
• Expert Happy Market cards have colors that count toward Special Building conditions.
• The Prem’s card holder remains the 1st player for the entire game (does not rotate).
• Green cards tend to provide inhabitants; orange cards tend to provide hearts.

Player Reference

Phase	Action	Required?
A. Income	Collect income from all city cards simultaneously	Yes
B1. Discard	Discard 1 card from central area	Optional
B2. Refill	Draw cards until 3 are visible in central area	Yes
B3. Buy	Buy 1 Building, 1 Dwelling, or take 1 coin	Yes (choose one)
B4. Special	Claim 1 Special Building if conditions met	Optional (max 1 per game)

Scoring Formula: Inhabitants x Hearts = Happiness Points

Setup Reminders:

• Dwellings: 1 card fewer than the number of players in each pile
• Special Buildings: 2 cards more than the number of players
• Each player starts with: 1 Happy Market + 2 coins