MicroMacro: Crime City

MicroMacro: Crime City is a cooperative[2] tabletop crime-solving hidden object game designed by Johannes Sich and published in 2020 by Edition Spielwiese.[3] The game received positive reviews and won the Spiel des Jahres in 2021. A sequel to the game, MicroMacro: Crime City – Full House was released in August 2021.[4]

MicroMacro: Crime City
ManufacturersHard Boiled Games
DesignersJohannes Sich
IllustratorsDaniel Goll
Tobias Jochinke
Johannes Sich[1]
PublishersEdition Spielwiese
Publication2020 (2020)
Players1–4
Playing time15–45 minutes
Age range8+

Gameplay

The team of players unfolds a poster-sized map about 45 by 30 inches (114 cm × 76 cm) on which is illustrated an urban area depicting characters performing ordinary daily tasks such as eating, working, or attending events.[3] Some are engaged in criminal activities, ranging from petty theft to murder, and it is the goal of the players acting as detectives or private investigators to solve those crimes.[3]

The victim of the crime is depicted, but the crime is not.[3] Each crime is associated with a case that consists of a deck of 5–12 cards with clues, the first of which describes the scene of the crime and victim.[3] Each of the 16 cases have a difficulty rating ranging from one to five stars,[3] and all clues for a case are labeled with a unique icon representing that case.[1] These clues lead to different parts of the map, tracking the victim and potential perpetrator backward and forward in time.[3]

Details such as clothing, decoration, and directionality depicted in the map can be important clues in the game, which may require a "deductive leap" at times.[1]

Sequels

MicroMacro: Crime City has spawned three sequels, each following the same basic format, but with a new city map, and new cases to solve. Each sequel subtitle takes its name from a term in poker.

  • MicroMacro: Crime City – Full House was published in August 2021.[4] It included a new 75-by-110-centimetre (30 in × 43 in) map with 16 new cases to solve.[4] The game was described by the publisher as "more complex, sophisticated and, of course, a bit more criminal", but also included icons with each case indicating the appropriateness of the case for younger children.[4]
  • MicroMacro: Crime City – All In was published in 2022. Although once again a stand-alone package, several storylines from earlier editions are continued in All In.
  • MicroMacro: Crime City – Showdown is set to be published in 2023.

Reception

MicroMacro: Crime City received positive reviews. Dicebreaker described the game as blending features from puzzle books such as Where's Wally? and mystery-solving board games such as Sherlock Holmes: Consulting Detective.[5] In a review for ICv2, William Niebling commended the box cover art implementing a "sample mini-mystery" as a "brilliant idea" that would enable potential customers in a shop to "experience what the game offers before buying".[3] He also stated that the game would benefit from having included its own tokens for marking sites on the map, for example tiddly-winks, instead of players having to source their own.[3]

The game was also commercially successful, and print runs repeatedly sold out for eight months after its release.[6] From late 2020 to mid-February 2021, shipments of the game were delayed or halted as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.[7]

Awards

MicroMacro: Crime City won the 2021 Spiel des Jahres award[2] and the L'As d'Or Jeu de l'Année.[5] It also won the 2020 Light Game of the Year and Innovative Game awards from the board game fansite Board Game Geek.[8]

References
  1. Matthews, Andy (20 July 2021). "MicroMacro: Crime City Game Review: Waldo's Done Some Baaad Things". Meeple Mountain. Retrieved 26 November 2021.
  2. Mastrangeli, Tony (19 July 2021). "MicroMacro: Crime City Wins the 2021 Spiel des Jahres Award". Board Game Quest. Retrieved 26 November 2021.
  3. Niebling, William (27 November 2020). "Review: 'MicroMacro: Crime City' (board game)". ICv2. Retrieved 26 November 2021.
  4. Meehan, Alex (18 May 2021). "As d'Or winner and Spiel des Jahres nominee MicroMacro is getting a sequel". Dice Breaker. Retrieved 26 November 2021.
  5. Jarvis, Matt (2 March 2021). "As d'Or winners 2021: Where's Wally-meets-murder mystery puzzler MicroMacro: Crime City named Game of the Year". Dice Breaker. Retrieved 26 November 2021.
  6. Hall, Charlie (19 July 2021). "The best board game of 2020 is a poster-sized hidden object game". Polygon. Retrieved 26 November 2021.
  7. Carter, Chase (21 January 2021). "MicroMacro's Sherlock-by-way-of-Where's Wally detective game returns to stores next month". Dice Breaker. Retrieved 26 November 2021.
  8. Hall, Charlie (5 May 2021). "Major board gaming awards are now recognizing the best 'Zoomable' games". Polygon. Retrieved 26 November 2021.
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