Board Game Arena

So, I've played several games of Happy City and I'm starting to think that being the first player is a HUGE handicap, especially in 2 player games. Most games, unless you just buy every single turn and never take a coin, you wind up with 9 buildings instead of ten. If you do buy every single turn, most of the time you're playing catch up on the income unless you hit exactly the right cards on your turn.

Has anyone else noticed this? Am I just playing poorly, or is there an advantage to going second?

1) i think 1st player is better, in my strategie
2) you play in familly mode, it is only for debutant or for game with friends, play in expert mode and you will see 1st and 2nd place have no avantage

If that's true, what are you doing that I'm not doing? Are you buying every turn? Are you finishing the game with all 10 buildings? What am I missing?

Never mind. Forget I said anything.

Someone just played against me going first and the trick is to just pull all the level 3 cards. My opinion of this game is dropping drastically.

best place first because you are the first to be able to pick the special buildings

The key here is to avoid taking a coin instead of a build.
A coin is a poor substitute for a building in most cases. I have had good luck buying nothing but buildings; even if the only income-producing building is a minus-happiness or minus-people. If you buy one of those 1st or 2nd turn, the added income will get you to higher level buildings quickly enough to offset the minus.