Overview
Machi Koro is a fast-paced city-building card game where each player is the mayor of a small town, rolling dice to earn income from establishments and using that income to build new establishments and landmarks. The first player to complete all four of their landmark cards wins.
Components
- 108 cards total:
- 8 starting Establishment cards (4 Wheat Fields, 4 Bakeries)
- 16 starting Landmark cards (4 sets of 4 Landmarks each)
- 72 supply Establishment cards
- 12 Major Establishment cards
- 78 coins (42 x 1-coin, 24 x 5-coin, 12 x 10-coin)
- 2 dice
Setup
- Each player places their 2 starting establishments face-up: 1 Wheat Field and 1 Bakery.
- Each player places their 4 Landmark cards face-down (Under Construction): Train Station, Shopping Mall, Amusement Park, Radio Tower.
- Create a marketplace by arranging all Supply cards in stacks by type, ordered by activation number (lowest to highest).
- Give each player 3 coins. Form a bank with remaining coins.
- Determine starting player.
Turn Structure
Each turn consists of three phases in order:
- Roll Dice
- Earn Income
- Construction
Actions
1. Roll Dice
- Roll 1 die. Once the Train Station landmark is completed, the player may choose to roll 1 or 2 dice.
- When rolling 2 dice, always sum both dice.
2. Earn Income
All establishments with activation numbers matching the dice roll trigger their effects. Activation order:
| Priority |
Type |
Color |
When Activates |
| 1st |
Restaurants |
Red |
On any player’s turn; take coins from the roller |
| 2nd |
Primary Industry |
Blue |
On anyone’s turn; get coins from bank |
| 2nd |
Secondary Industry |
Green |
On your turn only; get coins from bank |
| 3rd |
Major Establishments |
Purple |
On your turn only; special effects |
- If a player owns multiple copies of an establishment, the effect is multiplied by the number of copies.
- Payments between players: If a player cannot pay the full amount owed, they pay what they can; the remainder is forgiven. A player’s coin total cannot go below zero.
- When multiple players are owed payment simultaneously, pay in reverse turn order (counter-clockwise from the roller).
3. Construction
The player may build ONE of the following:
- Purchase a Supply Establishment from the marketplace by paying its construction cost. Add it face-up to your play area.
- Complete a Landmark by paying its completion cost. Flip it face-up to activate its permanent effect.
Restrictions:
- Players may own only 1 copy of each Major Establishment (purple).
- Players may own multiple copies of all other establishment types.
- Landmarks may be completed in any order.
Scoring / Victory Conditions
The first player to complete all 4 of their Landmarks wins immediately.
Special Rules & Edge Cases
Landmark Effects
| Landmark |
Cost |
Effect |
| Train Station |
4 coins |
May roll 1 or 2 dice |
| Shopping Mall |
10 coins |
Bakery/Cafe type cards earn +1 coin each |
| Amusement Park |
16 coins |
If you roll doubles, take another turn |
| Radio Tower |
22 coins |
Once per turn, you may re-roll your dice |
- Amusement Park: Only triggers on doubles when rolling 2 dice (requires Train Station first).
- Radio Tower: The re-roll replaces the original roll entirely.
- Restaurant (red) cards activate before the roller collects any income, potentially leaving the roller with 0 coins before their own establishments activate.
Player Reference
| Card Type |
Color |
Activation |
| Primary Industry |
Blue |
Anyone’s roll; income from bank |
| Secondary Industry |
Green |
Your roll only; income from bank |
| Restaurants |
Red |
Others’ rolls; take from the roller |
| Major Establishments |
Purple |
Your roll only; special effects |