Key Market (Second Edition)

The original Key Market earned the sort of reputation that turns a hard-to-find game into an absurdly expensive object, and after playing it I can see why people made the noise. This is an economic euro with some bite. You are not quietly arranging your own little corner while everyone else gets on with it; the market is shared ground, and the other players are already standing on it.

Its economy runs through the markets, where choices carry weight and nothing feels surplus to requirements. Each round asks what you need, what can wait, and—more importantly—what you cannot afford to leave available to the person beside you.

The area control arrives at an odd angle, which is exactly the right angle, while guild powers offer different ways to contest space and opportunity. You will block one another in the markets, and you will enjoy it; the aggression is not decoration, but part of the economy.

At a satisfying two-ish hours, with enough replayability to make another game feel like the obvious next move, Key Market (Second Edition) is one of those tight euros that stays on the table for the right reasons. It does not need to shout about its quality; it is simply very, very good.