Elseware Express: Vol 1

Elseware Express is an economic stock manipulation game where players put on the hats of investors 5 years prior to an AI taking over the world. Capitalism is coming to a close and this is your last chance to cash out. Elseware Express is played over 5 rounds, with each round divided into 2 phases. Players spend the first phase as investors, buying shares in companies and buying goods from the market. In the second phase, the player with the most stock in a company makes decisions on its behalf, building out track, connecting to various cities and then delivering goods, aiming to meet the needs of the people. If all went well, a large payout is given to all investors involved. At the end of the 5th round, the player with the most cash is the winner. Elseware Express Vol 1 aims to be a colorful and approachable entry in the 18xx genre. Mostly eliminating the need for a calculator with lower values, a simple 2 token cash tracker instead of paper money, and a small 3D stock market that is easier to manipulate. There is a solo mode. —description from the designer