In Manhattan, players will construct a skyline of skyscrapers over several districts, or city blocks, of Manhattan Island. Ultimately, each player attempts to have built the tallest buildings in the most city blocks of the Island.

Each turn, the players will play a card that illustrates which part of a city block they may place a "floor" on a building. The placement card is unique for every player in that the section they may place in is relative to their seating at the table. The player who has placed the top most floor will control that building. Every round, scores are tallied based on control of each of the neighborhoods.

At the end of the game, the player who has scored the most points through area control and tallest buildings wins the game.