Power Grid

Power Grid

**Power Grid** scratches an itch that few games can – it’s the ultimate economic strategy puzzle. Every time I play, I’m hunched over the board calculating routes and auction bids, obsessing over every dollar. The heart of the game is the tense auction for power plants and the cutthroat resource market, and I love how every decision requires foresight. Do I splurge on a big power plant now, or save money for cheaper resources later? These dilemmas keep me hooked, and the thrill of outsmarting opponents in an auction is fantastic. The game is well-balanced too, with a clever turn order system that helps players catch up if they fall behind. When I finally connect that last city and power it, it’s a fist-pump moment of triumph. Still, I’ll admit Power Grid is dry as a bone thematically – we’re literally dealing with numbers on a map, and the artwork is functional at best. Some friends find it too mathy and prone to analysis paralysis; with a slow calculator at the table, the game can drag. The paper money in the box also isn’t great (I replaced it with poker chips for ease). After pulling in others’ opinions with an AI, I can confirm that Power Grid is a brilliant strategy game if you don’t mind a bit of number-crunching.