How to Play Trade Winds: A Guide | Playgridia
Trade Winds is a brand-new sea-themed economic strategy game. You chart your ship's route across a map of islands: choose which way to sail, buy up ports, and collect a tariff (toll) whenever a rival docks at your port. The goal is simple yet deep: whoever builds the smartest trade network wins. 2–4 players, free and entirely in the browser.
The core loop
On your turn, you roll and move your ship between islands. When you reach a junction, you choose a direction — your route is entirely up to you. Land on an empty port and you can buy it; dock at someone else's and you pay a tariff. Cash management and route planning compete every turn.
How it differs from property games
- Choose your direction: There's no fixed loop; you pick your route at junctions, turning every turn into a decision.
- No jail: Nobody sits locked out for turns; the flow never stalls.
- Tariff economy: Wealth comes from grabbing ports on the routes your rivals travel most.
- No elimination: Pick a bankruptcy goal or a round limit; everyone stays in until the end.
Winning tactics
Prioritize junction ports that rivals pass through often — the more traffic, the higher your tariff income. Don't burn your cash early; holding a few key ports beats collecting half the map at random. Read your rival's route and grab the port that cuts them off.
Set sail: play Trade Winds for free and become the richest trader on the seas!
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