Village in a Box
Build a sweet village in 15 minutes!
Requirements
<30
2-4
12+
Description
Village in a Box is a game about village-building. There's nothing fancy here--you're just some impoverished medieval noble trying to build a decent home for your miserable subjects. And well you should. At least a couple other nobles in the area are doing what they can to build up a sweet village, too. Trade with your opponents, or send thieves their way to slow their progress!
Simultaneous Play:
1. Everyone takes 6 cards.
2. Build what you can; trade cards with opponents to take the most advantage of your cards.
3. Save 2 cards in your hand; discard the rest!
4. Repeat steps 1-3 until someone has a village worth 20 points! The person with the most points wins.
Requirement-Based Building:
Most cards have requirements you must build first. Each card can be used as a requirement only once! Save high-value cards while you build up the required infrastructure--or develop the most basic structures and hope for the best!
Update 12/5/2013: Corrected box image centering issue, updated Huts card face to reflect 1 point value.
Update 12/16/2013: New shop ad & new card back finished. Also working on an expansion pack...stay tuned!
Update 12/30/2013: Fixed a known issue with the font to make each word more legible.
Update 2/14/2014: Kickstarter funded! The exclusive KS edition ships with 54 cards in addition to the base game. These include a new water-themed addition to the tech tree, ten playable characters that add new game mechanics, and a selection of extra cards that make a 5th player possible! These 54 cards will be available soon as a separate expansion.
Update 4/9/2014: All three expansions released in the Kickstarter are now available here: Water & People in a Box [www.thegamecrafter.com] This includes (1) Water in a Box, which adds the Water resource and tech tree; (2) People in a Box, which adds 10 playable characters to the game; and (3) Player in a Box, which makes ViaB playable for 2-6 players!
FAQ
-----
Q: Do I need to have the cards line up with each other when I place them on the table?
A: No. The paths on each card do connect to each other, and they can be helpful to keep track of what's what when you're learning the game. However, it's more space-efficient to put the cards into stacks to show you've used up more basic cards with the more advanced cards.
Q: Do I trade an entire stack, or just the top card?
A: You may trade either, but you may not trade a card which is buried. For example, you may trade a Farm, or a Farm + Field, but you may not trade a Field that is under a Farm.
Q: What happens if the game hasn't ended, and we don't have enough cards to deal 6 to each player?
A: Deal as many as you can. This will likely be your last round.
Q: Where can I find the expansions?
A: Water & People in a Box [www.thegamecrafter.com]
Simultaneous Play:
1. Everyone takes 6 cards.
2. Build what you can; trade cards with opponents to take the most advantage of your cards.
3. Save 2 cards in your hand; discard the rest!
4. Repeat steps 1-3 until someone has a village worth 20 points! The person with the most points wins.
Requirement-Based Building:
Most cards have requirements you must build first. Each card can be used as a requirement only once! Save high-value cards while you build up the required infrastructure--or develop the most basic structures and hope for the best!
Update 12/5/2013: Corrected box image centering issue, updated Huts card face to reflect 1 point value.
Update 12/16/2013: New shop ad & new card back finished. Also working on an expansion pack...stay tuned!
Update 12/30/2013: Fixed a known issue with the font to make each word more legible.
Update 2/14/2014: Kickstarter funded! The exclusive KS edition ships with 54 cards in addition to the base game. These include a new water-themed addition to the tech tree, ten playable characters that add new game mechanics, and a selection of extra cards that make a 5th player possible! These 54 cards will be available soon as a separate expansion.
Update 4/9/2014: All three expansions released in the Kickstarter are now available here: Water & People in a Box [www.thegamecrafter.com] This includes (1) Water in a Box, which adds the Water resource and tech tree; (2) People in a Box, which adds 10 playable characters to the game; and (3) Player in a Box, which makes ViaB playable for 2-6 players!
FAQ
-----
Q: Do I need to have the cards line up with each other when I place them on the table?
A: No. The paths on each card do connect to each other, and they can be helpful to keep track of what's what when you're learning the game. However, it's more space-efficient to put the cards into stacks to show you've used up more basic cards with the more advanced cards.
Q: Do I trade an entire stack, or just the top card?
A: You may trade either, but you may not trade a card which is buried. For example, you may trade a Farm, or a Farm + Field, but you may not trade a Field that is under a Farm.
Q: What happens if the game hasn't ended, and we don't have enough cards to deal 6 to each player?
A: Deal as many as you can. This will likely be your last round.
Q: Where can I find the expansions?
A: Water & People in a Box [www.thegamecrafter.com]
Components
| Component | Quantity | Photo |
|---|---|---|
| Poker Deck | 1 deck of 90 cards |  |
| Poker Tuck Box (90 cards) | 1 |  |
Vitals
| Average Rating | 31 reviews |
|---|---|
| Publish Date | December 04, 2013 |
| Edition | First |
| Department | Games |
| Tags | Fantasy Civilization Medieval Casual Gamer Trading Dominion |
Accolades
See It In Action
Ratings and Reviews
Own It
Played It
Fun
Priced Well
High Replay Value
Well Written Rules
Nice Artwork
This simple little game is worth having on your shelf as a little icebreaker or way to pass time. It’s art has a charming quality that makes me want to build an aesthetically pleasing village while de...
Own It
Priced Well
Well Written Rules
Nice Artwork
We had high hopes for this game based on the reviews and sales history, but found ourselves thinking, "is this it?" (Note: judging by the text on the cards, it might be more fun with the expansion.) ...
Own It
Played It
Fun
Priced Well
High Replay Value
Well Written Rules
Nice Artwork
This is a nice micro-game. Their is, to me, little strategy, but it's fun just to build a village and arrange cards to make it look neat. It is nice for when you want to just kind of relax and play a ...
Own It
Played It
Fun
Priced Well
Really enjoyed this game, like the expansion as well for more variability. Easy to learn and teach and i see it staying in my collection for a long time, especially if I ever get one box to hold all t...
Fun
Priced Well
High Replay Value
Well Written Rules
Nice Artwork
Own It
Played It
Fun
Priced Well
Got this last year at PAX, its a pretty fun game and I play it at home with my girlfriend from time to time.
Played It
Fun
Priced Well
High Replay Value
Nice Artwork
Own It
Played It
Fun
Priced Well
Well Written Rules
Nice Artwork
I like the game a lot. I originally bought it to see if I could use it as a tool with my students to teach them about the rise of civilizations. It doesn't do that unfortunately but that's not what it...
Own It
Played It
Fun
Nice Artwork
Nice micro game
Own It
Played It
Fun
Priced Well
Own It
Played It
Fun
High Replay Value
I bought this for my grandchildren who spend too much time on computer games. We are a family in Manchester, England so I was wondering how well a game created in the USA would capture the interest of...
Own It
Played It
Fun
Priced Well
High Replay Value
Well Written Rules
Nice Artwork
Own It
Played It
Fun
Priced Well
Well Written Rules
Nice Artwork
Awesomely playful and fun card game. Super easy to explain, which is key in games like this. Great Job!
Really enjoy this game. Especially the artwork. I know it's been around awhile, but I wonder if there will be any more expansions...
Fun
High Replay Value
Nice Artwork
Cant beat construction type games, very fun and addictive to play.
Nice Artwork
Own It
Played It
Fun
Priced Well
High Replay Value
Well Written Rules
Nice Artwork
When I first got this i played with my grandson, and I think we played 6 games in a row. Very clean design, plays quickly and has a great feel. The trading aspect really makes it a challenge to try an...
Own It
Played It
Fun
Priced Well
High Replay Value
Well Written Rules
Nice Artwork
I got this game (plus all its expansions) with the "Village-in-a-Box" kickstarter last year. My wife and I have played it two-player for quite a long time, probably a dozen different games, and she l...
Own It
Played It
Fun
High Replay Value
Nice Artwork
Village in a Box was a lot of fun for me. I have played this card game more times than I care to count ever since it arrived at my door step. I don’t normally play games as soon as they arrive, but my...
Own It
Played It
Fun
Priced Well
High Replay Value
A recurring hit with my wife, we have a great time playing it together :) Only adjustment we raise the point cap when playing in two
Own It
Played It
Fun
Priced Well
High Replay Value
This basic game doesn't seem to have a lot of strategic elements, since we found the trading to not be heavily utilized. With that said, the quick and easy game play makes this a game we've played ov...
Take the concept of app-mini games and make it into analog fun -this is essentially what it's about. Build a village, kill some time, and enjoy your creation. Great Stuff.
Played It
Priced Well
High Replay Value
Well Written Rules
Nice Artwork
Super fun and easy to kick back and play to. Great for all ages.
Own It
Played It
Fun
Priced Well
High Replay Value
Well Written Rules
Nice Artwork
Just played this with my wife. I said, "Okay I think that's the end," but she wanted to keep going. We ended up exhausting the deck since she was having so much fun building her village. Not accord...
Own It
Played It
Fun
Priced Well
High Replay Value
My wife and I enjoy playing viab as a quick game while we are just hanging around the house but this game is definitely best with more people. Trades are more common and interaction obviously grows as...
Own It
Played It
Fun
Nice Artwork
I own and have played Village in a Box about a half dozen times. It has been lots of fun. I do find it a bit difficult to keep track of which cards have been used to support other cards. Which has le...
Own It
Played It
Fun
Priced Well
High Replay Value
Nice Artwork
Own It
Played It
Fun
Priced Well
Nice Artwork
I received my copy of ViaB as part of the Kickstarter Bundle. It's a great little microgame. It plays quickly and is perfect for shorter gaming sessions. I played with a cutthroat gaming group, so we ...
Own It
Played It
Fun
Priced Well
I've had a chance to play this game several times now with both two and four players with and without the water expansion. Even with new players the game is very fast and the rules are simple enough ...
Own It
Played It
Fun
Priced Well
High Replay Value
Well Written Rules
Nice Artwork
This is the perfect micro game. It takes around 10-20 minutes and it ends at the point you're having the most fun, so you end up playing 3 times in a row without much pause to think. Short, Sweet, and...
Own It
Played It
Fun
Priced Well
High Replay Value
Well Written Rules
Nice Artwork
Loved it! What a great concept. We felt like Roman Lords developing the countryside and cultivating a village from the resources we had. Very fun, and the ability to play it over and over with differe...
Own It
Played It
Fun
Priced Well
High Replay Value
Well Written Rules
Nice Artwork
This is one of the better games I've played in a long time. I can't say enough good things about it. It's easy to pick up, and crazy amounts of fun. Each game only lasts about 15 minutes with 4 player...
Fun
Priced Well
High Replay Value
Well Written Rules
Nice Artwork
A great looking micro game. Love the charming art, looks so peaceful and tranquil. Game play sounds like a great fun too, and heard good thing from those who played. I do hope to make some minor ...
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