Stats:
No. of players: 2-6
Amount of time to play: 60-90 min
Age requirements: 12+
Set-up time: 5 min

Acquire has been around since the sixties and has been reprinted several times. This latest version (2016) changes a few things but keep s the basic game play and feel of this classic game.

Acquire Rules Description:

Acquire is a board game for three to six players. Each player starts with six tiles and $6,000. The game takes place on a 10 x 10 grid. On your turn you must place a tile on the grid, then you may buy up to three stocks and then you draw a new tile.

The columns on the board are numbered from 1 to 10 and the rows are lettered A through J. Each tile has a number and letter value where it belongs. When you place a tile orthogonally adjacent to another one you form a corporation. You choose the newly found corporation and instantly gain one stock from it. Then if you want you can buy up to three total stocks in any of the corporations. The price of stock varies based on the corporation and how big it is. The more tiles it is made up of the more expensive it is.

If you ever place a tile between two corporations they merge. The bigger one will take over the smaller one. The three players with the most stock in the merged (smaller) corporation get a payout based on the size of the merged corporation. The player with the most stock gets the biggest payout. Then in clockwise order starting with the player that placed the tile any player with stock in the merged corporation may trade for stock in the bigger corporation at a ratio of 2 old stocks for one new stock. They may also sell their stock in the old corporation. The selling price is based on the size of the old corporation before it was merged. Or they can hold onto their stock and hope that corporation is founded later in the game.

Once a corporation is made up of ten tiles it cannot be taken over. It is considered safe, but can still envelop smaller corporations. You are not allowed to place a tile that would cause two of these large corporations merge.

If all corporations are safe or one corporation is made up of 38 or more tiles, the current player can choose to end the game. The top three stockholders in each company get their bonus ne last time. Then all players sell all their stock and the player with the most money wins.

A Quick Review of Acquire:

Acquire is a classic board game that is well-designed and fun. It is very accessible and enjoyable for gamers and non-gamers alike. But it takes some skill and luck to win.

This latest edition’s components are a mixed bag. The board and tiles are plastic and the tiles fit nicely into the grid. But the board is all dark gray and the coordinates on it are hard to read. Also the font used on the tiles and board has some confusing characters. The insert is flimsy and since the game doesn’t fit easily in the box when setup to play, you must break it down every time you put the game away. None of these are deal breakers but they are annoying. The rules are well written and easy to follow.

I mentioned there are a few changes in this most recent printing. First the board used to be a 9 x 12 grid. Now it is a 10 x 10 grid. I have not played the old version of the board so I am not sure how this affects the game. Stock bonuses for merged corporations used to only be paid out to the top two stockholders (instead of three). This change helps to keep more players in the game and avoid a runaway leader. There is also a new 2 player mode that I have not tried but looks interesting.
I like how simple and elegant Acquire’s mechanics are. You need to weigh your options and when to lay which tiles. Since you buy stock after you place a tile you can cost yourself more money. So timing can really matter. If you are able to plan ahead you can buy a lot of stock in a company that is about to take over another medium-sized corporation.

Acquire is a fun gateway game that many can enjoy. Its simple design is easy to teach and learn. If you enjoy speculation board games or are looking for a fun board game to help introduce new players to our hobby,, pick this up.

Score and synopsis: (Click here for an explanation of these review categories.)
Strategy 4 out of 6
Luck 5 out of 6
Player Interaction 4 out of 6
Replay Value 5 out of 6
Complexity 3 out of 6
Fun 4 out of 6
Overall 4 out of 6