My team tends to play games about war, killing, conquest and destruction. Wegood people , it's just that a lot of the big board games we end up playing are about just that. I mean, "Star Wars" ... this is war, it's right there in the title.
So lately the game'sTokaido was a refreshing break from the carnage because it's a game about going on vacation.
Players take on the role of travelers and start from the western edge of Japan. Then everyone heads east, stopping along the way to buy souvenirs, enjoy panoramic views, eat hearty meals and meet strangers.
These pit stops are not distracting, they are the whole point of the game. Each of them offers some kind of victory point (or part of a combination that brings a large amount), meaning that whoever has the most of them at the end of the game wins.
The problem is that not everyone fits. In smaller games, only one player can be in one location at a time, while in larger games only two are allowed. The game takes place on a lane (think of it as a train line) and you can only move around locations, so while others are trying to have their best vacation, you can also block access to rivals.
That's all. On theTokaido there is nothing special. You move from left to right, stop in places, spend some money, have a good time. I have played this game with adults, but I had absolutely no problem playing with children.
The constant strategic struggle between where you want to go, what you should spend your money on, and when you should block others is relentless from the first move to the last, and the constant movement back and forth is just about perfect.Tokaido is one of those games where you have to sit back and marvel at how the whole experience fits together and how it manages to be done so calmly.Tokaido is the most peaceful and calm competitive game I have ever played.
It's hard to talk aboutTokaido, without mentioning his art, which has become the absolute banner of what we can expect from a board game. It's done in a light Japanese style without overdoing the world of visual stereotypes, with a light feel that is reminiscent of both the festive setting and the game's geographic location.
Tokaido is an elegant board game, one of the few I've played lately that I can almost recommendanyone . Not only because of its near-perfect design, but also because it's so easy to take with you: who wouldn't want to play a game about going on vacation?
