Space Base vs Machi Koro vs Machi Koro 2 - Box Feature

Machi Koro vs Machi Koro 2 vs Space Base

When we first tried Machi Koro from designer Masao Suganuma and Pandasaurus Games it was a hit with the family, the combination of building our tableau of money generating buildings and dice chucking was so much fun. It’s no surprise that there have been a couple of other games that have tried to build on that same core gameplay. Space Base from publisher AEG and designer John D Clair and Machi Koro 2 also by Masao Suganuma, both share the core elements from Machi Koro but aim to improve on them.

Although all three games have the same basic gameplay of purchasing cards to improve your resource generating tableau and dice chucking for resource generation there are some key differences. You might be thinking about picking up one of these games but not sure what the difference is, or which one is right for you. Don’t worry we have you covered, we’ll compare each game and give you our perspective on each one to help you decide.


What You Will Find in Machi Koro vs Machi Koro 2 vs Space Base Article


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Summary

We think the right choice here depends on the age of the players likely to be playing the game and the length of game you’re looking for. Machi Koro 2 is an incredibly simple game to teach and families with kids under 10 are likely to find this a better choice. The cards are very straightforward to understand and the game can be played in around 30-45 minutes, which makes it easy to get to the table.

Space Base on the other hand has a far broader variety of cards and their abilities are far more varied. The strategy is a little deeper and more nuanced as well. The game can stretch to an hour or more depending on player count. We think this game is better suited to people who want a little more depth to the experience and don’t mind a longer, more complex game. We think kids under 10 may find it a little too lengthy and a little harder to grasp.

We don’t think Machi Koro has as much replay value as Machi Koro 2 as the card market is the same for each game. If you do have Machi Koro and the Harbour Expansion this tends to add a lot in terms of replay value, and we don’t think you need to have Machi Koro 2 as well.

Machi Koro

Play Time: 30 Min / Players: 2-4 / Complexity: Low / Age: 10+ we think 7+ / Publisher: Pandasaurus Games / Designer: Masao Suganuma

Pros

  • Very little down time as every dice roll could affect players
  • Simple and easy to teach a great game for younger family members
  • Cute and accessible theme
  • Some good player interaction.

Cons

  • Luck of the dice could lead to wasted turns occasionally
  • No change in market cards each game means replay value suffers over time. Harbor Expansion improves replay value a lot.

Check out our full Machi Koro review.

Machi Koro 2

Play Time: 45 Min / Players: 2-5 / Complexity: Low / Age: 10+ we think 7+ / Publisher: Pandasaurus Games / Designer: Masao Suganuma

Pros

  • Easy to learn
  • Theme is likely to have broad appeal
  • High amount of player interaction and a lot of fun
  • Far more variation from game to game compared to previous edition leading to a lot more replay value
  • Pre-game build phase allows each player more options to personalise their strategy
  • Game is more streamlined and quicker than the previous edition.

Cons

  • Remembering the effect of all the landmarks in play can be challenging.

Check out our full Machi Koro 2 review.

 Space Base

Play Time: 60 Min / Players: 2-5 / Complexity: Medium / Age: 14+ we think 12+ / Publisher: Alderac Entertainment Group (AEG) / Designer: John D Clair

Pros

  • Large number of fleet cards add a lot of variety to the game and increase replay value
  • Lots of different strategies on offer due the variety of interesting card abilities
  • Great idea to be able to use the total of both dice rolled or use each individually, subtle but interesting element
  • There are cards that allow you to manipulate die rolls and mitigate luck somewhat
  • There is a decent amount of time to develop your engine in this game and see it in action.

Cons

  • At higher player counts play time extends a bit, if you have players who like to analyse this can lead to a little down time
  • The beginning of the game can feel very slow with little purchasing power. The light-speed variant improves this a bit, but would not recommend this variant for new players
  • Due to the wide variety of cards and card abilities it can be a little overwhelming at first for new players.

Check out our full Space Base review.

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Gameplay Comparison

Machi Koro

Space Base vs Machi Koro vs Machi Koro 2 - Machi Koro Game in Play

Welcome to Machi Koro, congrats you’re the new Mayor. Don’t get too comfy though, your citizens are a demanding bunch and want you to get to work right away expanding the city.  As the Mayor of Machi Koro you will be purchasing establishments, chucking dice, and earning money with the aim of building four crucial landmarks. Whoever can build these first wins.

Machi Koro comes with 15 unique establishments that are arranged in the centre of the table to form a market. These are the cards available for purchase that will earn you cash, and they will be the same each game. Each player will get two starting cards, four landmark cards and three coins to begin with. The landmarks start face down and must be purchased to flip them over and gain their associated benefit.

Machi Koro is very simple. Chuck dice, earn money, purchase establishments, rinse and repeat until someone wins. Players will earn money based on the dice roll and the cards they have in their personal tableau. If the dice roll matches the number that activates the card on the appropriate turn you get coins. Your income varies according to the card that’s activated.

There are four types of establishments available for purchase in the market:

  • Blue: Primary Industry Establishments – Earn income from the bank on anyone’s turn. These are the cards our kids seem to target each game
  • Green: Secondary Industry Establishments – Earn income from the bank on your turn only
  • Red: Restaurants Establishments – Earn coins from other players who rolled the dice. These cards can be a bit rough for younger or more sensitive kids when they must pay out
  • Purple: Major Establishments – Earn income from all other players but during your turn only.

Machi Koro 2

Space Base vs Machi Koro vs Machi Koro 2 - Machi Koro 2 Game in Play

Machi Koro 2 retains most of the same rules as Machi Koro with a few key differences:

  • Players now have a three round pre-game buy up phase to purchase their own starting cards, this allows players to vary their strategies before the game has even begun
  • There is now a variable market with three card types on offer. Cards triggered by a 1-6 roll, cards triggered by a 7-12 roll and landmarks. For each deck, 5 unique cards are placed face up with duplicates stacked to form the market. As gaps appear in the market throughout the game these cards are replaced
  • Players can choose to use one or two dice right from the start, Machi Koro requires you to complete a landmark to gain the option of rolling two dice
  • The landmark cards are all unique instead of the standard set that players had in the original Machi Koro. Each has 3 separate costs printed on it which makes them more expensive after you purchase your first and second landmark, once you have three landmarks you win the game
  • Some landmark cards provide benefits to all players not just the player that built the landmark
  • If you have no money to spend on a turn you will get 1 free coin from the bank. No more wasted turns!

Space Base

Space Base vs Machi Koro vs Machi Koro 2 - Space Base shipyard and fleet cards

Space Base is the most complex of the three games we are comparing. In Space Base you are the Commodore in command of a fleet of ships. Your goal is to accumulate and deploy an ever-growing number of ships to earn income and spread your influence. The first player to reach 40 victory points wins the game and earns a promotion to Admiral!

You will start the game with a set of 12 basic starting ships allocated to a sector between 1 to 12 on your player board (Command Console). The number represents the number that must be rolled to trigger the ship effect.

On your turn you will roll two dice and be able to choose to either use the total value of both dice together or use each dice value separately. This essentially means that the numbers from 1-6 are far more likely to trigger while the probability steadily decreases from 7 onwards but conversely the rewards are normally larger.

There are three key tracks on your player board, credits which can be used during your turn to purchase more ships, income which represent your starting credits each turn and victory points. Triggering ships will grant increases to these tracks or grant some other special benefit like for example the ability to earn cubes that can alter future dice rolls. There are a huge variety of ship cards available with some really interesting benefits.   

There are three levels of ship on offer in the shipyard with each offering progressively better rewards and more expensive ships. Each level has 6 cards face up available to purchase in the middle of the table for a total of 18 ships. In addition, you can also purchase colony cards that offer a one-off victory point boost but then render their respective sectors unusable in your future turns.

When you purchase a ship for a sector that already has a ship present, the existing ship is turned upside down and tucked under your board and is replaced by the new ship. Importantly ships tucked under your board like this can trigger on another player’s dice roll. You can continue to tuck ships under your board like this every time you purchase a ship for that sector.

Gameplay Experience Comparison

Machi Koro

Space Base vs Machi Koro vs Machi Koro 2 - Machi Koro Landmark Cards

Machi Koro is a light-hearted, accessible, and simple game. You could probably just set it up and start playing without explaining the rules, people will get it very quickly. Younger kids will have no trouble with it if they can roll dice and read the cards. Our family has had a blast with this game.

Although the dice introduce a lot of luck there is still some nice strategy here and decisions to be made. During the game you will weigh up whether to buy cards across a wide range of numbers for a better chance of a small pay-out or put all your eggs in fewer baskets for a big pay day. There are also some nice synergies between cards on offer.

I personally try to set up for the big play, I either win big or fall behind and cop a ribbing from my family, who love to point out when it doesn’t work. When I do manage to get the dice roll I was waiting for I take great pleasure in grabbing large quantities of coins while everyone looks on a little miffed.

The other important decision is when to transition from one dice to two. The higher numbers offer the bigger pay-out but mean investing in a train station to start rolling two dice. This aspect of the game is a little nuanced and can be lost on younger players. My 8-year-old struggled initially deciding when it was better to roll two dice instead of one, but it presents a great opportunity to teach basic probability.

The turns in Machi Koro just fly by and have that nice thrill of rolling the dice and hoping for that pay-out you have been setting up for the last few turns. My son will often point out when one of his recently purchased cards just got activated, ‘I only just bought that card and it’s paid out already!’. For some reason we tend to have very close games that could have gone to several players, my oldest daughter is getting a bit of a reputation for winning the close ones!

We have had a lot of fun with Machi Koro but over time the game can suffer a little from a lack of variety in the market cards as they are the same each game. As players get familiar with the cards, they will gravitate towards their preferred strategy each game. My kids will hammer the Mines and Orchards and be disappointed when they run out. Although this is starting to become an issue for my son and I, my wife and daughters don’t seem to be bothered by it.

The other downside is that turns can sometimes lead to no income on an unlucky dice roll. A wasted turn is ok for older kids but for my youngest she gets frustrated at being able to do nothing at all on a turn.

Overall Machi Koro is the simplest of the three games we are comparing but probably has the least replay value.

Machi Koro 2

Space Base vs Machi Koro vs Machi Koro 2 - Machi Koro 2 Landmark Cards

We think Machi Koro 2 is a big improvement on the first game. We enjoyed Machi Koro a lot, but from game to game it would become a little similar. People would settle on their favourite cards and strategies and it would become a little repetitive. Machi Koro 2 has all of the great stuff we love about Machi Koro but adds some much needed variety to each game.

The improvements in Machi Koro 2 are apparent before the game even begins. The pre-game buy-up to personalise starting establishments allows you to differentiate your strategy before you start. I love the fact that I can experiment with different combinations each game to personalise my income generating engine. Part of the fun is admiring your choices and bragging about how good your starting setup is.

The variable market is also a big improvement on the static market of the prior game. This means you have to adapt to the state of the market as the game progresses. You can’t simply fall back on cards you are comfortable with each game. It also keeps people more engaged as the market refreshes with each card purchased. My daughters keep an eagle eye out for any mines that pop out and my son snaps up any red cards he can. It makes each game feel a little fresher, although it does add a little more luck.

The other thing that adds some variety to the game is the Landmarks. I love the fact that each one is unique now and that there are different types. They force you to be more considered when you purchase them. “If I buy the Temple everyone will benefit from doubles. I could go for the Soda Bottling plant, I have more restaurants than anyone else so I should get more benefit out of them. Should I wait for a green Landmark to come out that only benefits me?”

The unique Landmarks add an additional dimension that didn’t exist in the original game and another layer of strategy. My kids are all very careful when they select Landmarks to get the most benefit they can, while trying to minimise the benefit for everyone else.

There are also more unique establishment cards on offer in this edition, there are 20 instead of 15. This provides more opportunities to differentiate your strategy and adjust as needed to the market. There are familiar cards here but also some new ones like the vineyard which combos with other cards providing a further boost to your engine. My wife seems to gravitate to the vineyard card when it’s available and cops a lot of grief from our kids as they know it pays out well for her most games. The image of a nice relaxing wine at the end of the day probably has nothing to do with her choice. 

All of this adds up to more variety, greater strategic options and a lot more replay value. There is very little downside here and, in our view, this has taken Machi Koro to the next level. It also makes the game more streamlined and quicker to play, you can easily play within 30 minutes. It’s great when you want to squeeze in a game before bedtime.

I can understand some people might find the game too quick and feel like they are short changed. This is mainly because you are not going to be buying as many establishments each game as you were in the first edition. If you are after a game with more time to develop your strategy then you may be better off with the original and the Harbor expansion (which resolves some of the first edition issues). I personally think the quicker play time is great, especially when it packs this much fun factor.

Space Base

Space Base vs Machi Koro vs Machi Koro 2 - Space Base player board

Space Base is the most complex of the three games we are comparing in this article and also takes the longest time to play at 60 minutes or more depending on player count.

Space Base still has that great feeling of progression and improving your engine like Machi Koro, but it feels like there is a lot more depth here. This is mainly due to the variety of ship cards on offer. There are over 130 unique ships with a wide variety of abilities. Sure, there are a lot that simply earn you income but there are also many other interesting rewards on offer. There are ships that will allow you to accumulate charge cubes to trigger effects like manipulating dice values or even swapping cards between sectors.

I love the fact that you can choose to use the total value of the dice rolled or use each dice value individually. It may seem like a simple difference, but it means some tangible choices once you have rolled that give you more wriggle room. 

This makes it feel like there are far more strategies on offer and adds some additional depth compared to both Machi Koro games. The additional length of Space Base also allows more time to develop your engine and set up for big plays. I like using the ships with arrow abilities that enable you to get the benefit of adjacent sectors when they trigger.

I have had games where I have been able to stack 4 or more flipped cards in a sector and then placed ships with arrow abilities next to them. This increases the probability of that sector triggering and leads to some big rewards. In larger player count games I often focus on getting cards that grant victory points when flipped and try to aim for a steady stream of victory points when opponents roll.

For all the additional depth and variety there is a price to pay. The added length of the game can make it a little harder to get to the table. My son enjoys Space Base but finds it drags on a little too long and prefers Machi Koro 2 as a result.

It is also harder to learn than the other two games we are comparing. The card abilities and possible combos are a little more nuanced to get your head around in some instances, especially for the cards that require charge cubes. My daughters easily grasped both Machi Koro games, but I think kids under 10 may struggle a bit with Space Base.

Space Base also feels like it gets off to a pretty slow start with few affordable cards on offer and this can put some people off in the early game. In contrast, Machi Koro 2 feels like it progresses more quickly. There is a light-speed variant for Space Base that improves the slow start but I wouldn’t recommend it for new players as it forces purchasing decisions before players have had a chance to get to grips with the game.

Final Thoughts

Overall, when it comes to fun factor vs time investment Machi Koro 2 is our unanimous pick. It’s quick enough that it can hit the table frequently, it’s simple enough for the whole family to be competitive and it has some good variety from game to game.  In our view it is a big improvement on Machi Koro, although if you have the original game and the Harbour Expansion, we don’t think you need Machi Koro 2 as well.

While I personally enjoy Space Base and play it a fair bit, I think it will probably appeal more to older/more experienced board gamers who don’t mind the additional time and complexity in exchange for more depth and variety. My son also really likes Space Base too but prefers Machi Koro 2 slightly because it can be played a little quicker.

We hope you enjoyed our Machi Koro vs Machi Koro 2 vs Space Base article. If you have any more questions or just want to share your thoughts on this game, please leave a comment below or get in touch through our contact page.

Machi Koro

Machi Koro 2

Space Base

About the Authors

We are parents who love board gaming. We have three children and have been enjoying board games as a family ever since we had our first child. We share our real unbiased experiences and opinions on board games so you can decide if they are right for your family. We also write guides and articles to help you get the most out of your family game time. If you enjoy our content and want to support us you can do that through our Ko-fi page by clicking on the button below.

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