So, you want to play Sprawlopolis with pyramids

 Zoning Out is a Looney Pyramid adaptation of Sprawlopolis. That’s the elevator pitch and also pretty much everything you need to know if you’re going to be interested in it.

Personally, I have been a longtime fan of the pyramid games. I started following Button Shy when they kickstarted Cunning Folk and the Sprawlopolis line is one of their high points. I’m about as target demographic as you’re going to get.

You are building a city out of pyramids. All the pyramids go in a bag so the only thing you can decide when pulling one out is the size. And that’s key because the big placement restriction is that a pyramid can’t be next to a pyramid of the same size. 

The rules don’t quite out and out say this but is very clear that the city is a grid and a little pyramid and a big pyramid functionally occupy the same amount of space. Diagonals don't matter so you’re only worrying about orthogonals. 

Where Zoning Out really shows it’s Sprawlopolis roots is that there are eighteen special scoring conditions. I made cards for them but you could just use scraps of paper. In addition to new ways to get points or rule changes, they all have a number. You use three to a game and the sum of their numbers are your goal for the game.

Just like roads give you headaches in Spawlopolis, black pyramids are there to make life difficult. They are worth negative points. Each one costs its size multiplied by the number of pyramids around it. Which doesn’t sound that bad but the bad stuff piles up fast.

You score the largest group of each color, the special scoring conditions and subtract the black pyramids and hope you win.

There are two questions that Zoning Out has to answer: Is it any good and of itself? Would I rather play it than Sprawlopolis? From where I’m standing, Zoning Out is a good game but Sprawlopolis is better.

You ultimately have more control in Zoning Out. Each move is only dealing with one square while Sprawlopolis has you juggling four at a time. You decide what size pyramid you’re pulling. And you know that all forty-five pyramids are going to be in your city. 

Sprawlopolis was a game changer. Zoning Out reflects that. Sprawlopolis has inspired expansions and spinoffs. Zoning Out doesn’t have the breadth to do that. It is a solid tribute though.