Spiel des Jahres winner Manhattan, from the creator of Puerto Rico, is getting a flashy new edition

Released in 1994, Manhattan was the game that celebrated designer Andreas Seyfarth made before his widely acclaimed and better-known masterpiece Puerto Rico – yet, oddly enough, it was only the earlier game that picked up the illustrious Spiel des Jahres award, with Villa Paletti beating Puerto Rico to the 2002 prize.

This year, Manhattan makes a return, with what looks to be its first new edition in a decade, following its last update from Rio Grande in 2007.

This latest edition from Mandoo Games leaves the original title’s gameplay untouched, as players lay down cards to add floors to a series of buildings.

The floors are symbolised by coloured blocks that stack on top of each other, with the top piece of each pile representing the player that controls that building.

Having the most buildings in a single neighbourhood earns points at the end of each round, with a simple count-up determining an overall winner.

What the upcoming reprint, which is due out at Essen in October, will change is Manhattan’s visuals, overhauling the game with a bright and punchy look from artist Jacqui Davis. It seems that the new board leaves behind the original’s titular setting of Manhattan Island for a more tropical island paradise, which is a curious choice given the name.

Still, with the design unchanged, it’s another chance to play a previously hard-to-find classic from a master of game design – a trend we can fully get behind.