New England

Players represent colonial families buying and developing tracts of land in 17th-century New England. Each round players bid for the right to purchase tiles or development cards from a limited auction pool, then immediately place purchased tiles on a shared 9×11 grid (one square missing) or play development cards if requirements are met. Tiles come undeveloped and can be turned face-up by meeting specific patterns on development cards; other development cards provide income, storage (barns), or expansion (ships). High bids grant priority choices and control over the next round’s auction size. Play ends when the supply cannot fill an auction, and players score points for completed developments plus bonuses for most pilgrims, barns, or ships, with currency as a tie-breaker.

Players: 3–4 best 4
Playing time: 90 min
Age: 12+
Complexity: 2.5 / 5