Players will be able to upgrade their plane with more seats, speed, and routes. It combines pick up and deliver mechanics, with player coordination, action planning, and just the right amount of real time. But Now Boarding is probably one of my favorites of his designs.
I was of course intrigued by it based I how much I tend to enjoy Fowers’ games. Now Boarding is one of those simple games that I didn’t expect to like as much as I did. If players can survive the game with less than three complaints, they win! Players can only fly on general or their specific routes, making cooperation a must. Once players have made it through all three phases, the game ends. This is also the players chance to plan for the round and decide who is doing what. The cards will be flipped over during the flight phase so players can see where they want to go. Once every player has purchased any desired upgrades, new passengers are dealt out (face down) to the airports listed on the back of their card. Faster speed, more seats, and access to restricted routes can all be purchased. Players can also buy upgrades for their plane. If a passenger get’s a fourth cube, they file a complaint.
Once a passenger is dropped off at their desired airport, they convert into money to be spent in the next phase.ĭuring the Maintenance Phase, any passengers still on the ground receive an anger cube. Their movement can be split between drop-offs and pickups as much as a player wants. Players can also only move their plane on routes they have access to. One side of the chart shows how many cards are dealt out each round and the other side has the upgrade costs. At any airport, they can drop off or pick up a passenger (assuming they have seats for them in their plane). A player is allowed to move their plane a number of spaces equal to their flight speed. They have 15-30 seconds (based on player count) to take their actions. Each round is divided into two phases: Flight Phase and Maintenance Phase.ĭuring the Flight Phase, players must deliver passengers in real time. Gameplay Overview:Įach game is divided into 3 stages (morning, afternoon, and evening) composed of multiple rounds. This cooperative game will have players harking back to the golden age of air travel as they attempt to deliver passengers around the US as quickly and efficiently as possible. Today we will be flying the friendly skies as we take off with Now Boarding. From my favorite word game Hardback, to the cooperative puzzle that is Burgle Brothers, he always has a clever spin for his games. Whenever game designer Tim Fowers releases a new game, I always stop and take a look.