Gangsters

About this board game

Gangsters is a Prohibition-era crime game for 2–5 players, with sessions lasting about 120 minutes. Each player takes the role of a boss leading an organized-crime gang through Chicago, competing with rival gangs for control, cash, and public attention.

Players use Racketeers, Thugs, and Vamps to direct the unsuspecting public into their establishments. The goal is to claim valuable locations and make money while keeping the “donut-boys-in-blue” out of business. Every turn is timed, giving the game a fast-moving pace and adding pressure to each decision.

• Compete for Speakeasies, Gambling Joints, and Protection Rackets.
• Use different gang members to attract the public and build your criminal operation.
• Choose among numerous paths to victory.
• Deal with dramatic hits, including a water-pistol soaking for the player who gets shot.

The game’s confrontations can have memorable consequences. When a hit is made, the targeted player gets soaked with the included water pistol—using one trigger press only—turning gang warfare into a physical table-side surprise.

Gangsters also changes depending on the group size. In the five-player version, one participant must play the cops instead of leading a gang, creating an unusual twist for anyone who draws the short straw. First released in 1992, it combines timed turns, rival criminal enterprises, contested establishments, and theatrical take-that moments in a distinctive Chicago underworld setting.