Three years after The Great Zimbabwe, Splotter Spellen returns in 2015 with a new management game: Food Chain Magnate . For 2-5 players, with a duration between 2 and 4 hours, FCM is based on variable powers, pick-up & deliver and network construction. The anticipation for this title was high and led to a boom in sales that forced the authors to immediate reprints including the very recent one by MS Edizioni in Italian. But let's see if the game has met expectations.

Materials

The quality of the materials is fair: soft box, good cardboard and paper, beautiful shaped wooden tokens. The graphics are inspired by 50s advertising, creating a perfect retro atmosphere. The board, although essential and clear to read, does not shine for aesthetics. Some small printing defects have been corrected in subsequent reprints.

Setting

FCM takes us to the 50s, in the shoes of entrepreneurs who have to develop their own fast food chain. The setting is well rendered, between aggressive advertising, demanding customers and business choices that reflect the market of the time. Irony and cynicism typical of Splotter Spellen emerge clearly, providing a unique and coherent context.

The Game

Gameplay revolves around managing the company's organizational chart and marketing strategy. Players recruit and train employees, promote their products, build fast food restaurants, gather resources, and sell to customers, all while trying to beat the competition with pricing, advertising, and better logistics.

The turn order is influenced by the company structure: whoever has the fewest occupied slots has priority in the choices. The money earned determines the victory, and the game ends when the bank runs out of resources.

Milestones: A key element of the game are milestones, objectives that reward the first player to complete certain actions, offering permanent strategic advantages.

The interaction is very high, and the game is relentless: a mistake in the first turns can condemn a player for the entire game. It is precisely this strategic depth that makes it a masterpiece for those who love competitive and punishing games.

Scalability and Replayability

The game scales well from 2 to 5 players, although with 5 it becomes more chaotic and difficult to control. Replayability is very high thanks to the modular board and the variety of strategies available.

The Ketchup Expansion

With The Ketchup Mechanism & Other Ideas , Food Chain Magnate is enriched with new elements:

• Ketchup and new milestones , which change the pace of the game.

• New business leaders , who expand the possible strategies.

• New pricing mechanics , which add variables into the economic system.

• New products and customer types , making everything even more dynamic.

This expansion is perfect for those looking for even more depth and variability in the base game.

Conclusion

Food Chain Magnate is a must-have title for lovers of tough, uncompromising economic games. Its old-school style, strategic depth, and ruthless interaction make it a Splotter Spellen classic.

And if you want the full experience, you can purchase FCM with the Ketchup expansion in an exclusive bundle for 15% off!

🔗 Discover the offer here!