Game Review: Tokaido

I come from a family of game lovers. Especially games where we all are able to come together and have fun with one another. Just about every year, we purchased some kind of board game which we would open up and play during the holidays. That is, after we have stuffed ourselves full of food, of course. The bright and shiny flashing of video games does tend to swallow all of my attention at times. But, other times, there is nothing better than sitting around a table and playing a board game.

At PAX East, my sister and I came across a board game that I had never heard of before, Tokaido. Upon first glance, the game looked very pretty and very Japanese. While I was interested in purchasing the game, I had no idea how to play it (even after reading the box). And I had even less of an idea on how to win. The man at the booth nice enough to explain the game to Frankie and I. But even after that, I still wasn't sure what the game was all about. So, of course, we had to buy it and play it.

My first impression of the game, before we even got started, was: "Wow, this is the most beautiful board game that I have ever played with." My second impression was: "This game has a lot of pieces. I hope it isn't too difficult to get the hang of."

Tokaido is one of those games that is simplistic in gameplay, but challenging when it comes to mastering it. The game is set in feudal Japan and you traveling on Tokaido, the road between Kyoto and Edo. There are many experiences to be had as the player travels. And the player who has the most experiences (visting temples, buying souvenirs, etc) by the end of the trip, wins the game.

What makes this game unique is choice. There is no dice to dictate how many spaces you move. There are no cards telling you what experience you need to do next. You, the player, make those choices yourself. And there are many things you have to keep in mind when you make these choices: the amount of money you have, the special ability of the character you chose to play, the choices of the other players, etc. The point is not to get to the end first, but to enjoy the journey as much as possible.

All in all, Tokaido is a very fun game. It is easy to pick up and has a very enjoyable levity to it. You characters are enjoying hotsprings, eating food from different inns, seeing what nature has to offer all along Tokaido. Who would not enjoy a game like this?