Overview
At a glance
Is this game right for my group?
ABG editorial scores on a 1–5 scale.
Harder to teach
High replayability
Highly interactive
Player-count sensitive
Deep strategy
More strategic control
How it plays
How does it play?
Run a Prohibition-era Chicago gang, move crews into profitable locations, and wheel, deal, threaten, or fight your way to the most cash.
Core mechanisms
Key systems that shape the decisions players make.
Area Majority
Compete to have the strongest presence in areas that award control or points.
Action Points
Spend a limited allowance of points across several possible actions each turn.
Dice Rolling
Roll dice to introduce uncertainty into actions, production, movement, or resolution.
Trading
Exchange resources, assets, or promises with other players.
Worker Placement
Commit limited workers to action spaces before opponents occupy them.
Modular Board
Build the play area from interchangeable sections that vary between games.
See all 9 mechanisms
Read the full game description
Wise Guys is a negotiation-heavy area-control game set in 1920s Chicago. Each player leads a rival gang, deploys made men and associates to a modular city, and exploits locations that buy or sell alcohol, influence politicians, or produce other opportunities. Money, guns, and booze stay hidden, encouraging table deals and calculated threats. Violence can settle a dispute, but dice make it risky and alliances are cheaper—until someone double-crosses the agreement. After six rounds, the gang with the most cash rules the city.
