Tokaido
$44.95
Tokaido at a Glance
| Game Type Travel Theme, End Game Bonuses, Point to Point Movement, Set Collection, Time Track, Variable Player Powers | Play Time 45 mins | Skill/Complexity (2 - 5) Light - Medium |
| Age 8+ | Publisher(s) Funforge | Published 2012 |
| Categories Family / Strategy | Players 2 - 5 | Cost $39.99 |
| Our Rating 9.1/10 |
Tokaido might see you compete against friends and family, but the art style and relaxed pace leaves all players feeling well-traveled and zen by the time they reach the end of the road.
About – Description
First published in 2012 – Tokaido is a beautiful game, featuring a linear board and a traditional Japanese art style. You play as a traveler making your way from Kyoto to Tokyo.
As you travel down the track, you will plan which action spaces you want to land on, with the aim of collecting as many cards, tokens and points as you can before reaching the end of the road. Each space allows you to carry out a particular action, which can give you money, allow you to spend money to gain points, or pick up parts of collections which give you points when completed.
Who’s Tokaido best Suited for?
The recommended age of play is 8+ and no part of the game needs prior board game experience or knowledge. Tokaido will have new players interested on looks alone, while more experienced gamers will be intrigued by the linear play and replay value.
While Tokaido is suitable for 2-5 players, many people have noted that the game can feel different depending on how many people are involved. Fewer players make to a gentle, calm game, while the detail on the board can mean that five players get confused or accidentally nudge pieces to the wrong spot.
Skill – Complexity (Light – Medium)
It might take an initial run through to get the hang of the game and understand how turns and actions work, but once you’ve got the hang of it, Tokaido doesn’t need in-depth strategy to be enjoyable. It’s a game which will benefit from many playthroughs to allow everyone to try different techniques and see what works.
Gameplay – How it Plays!
The initial set-up might seem overwhelming, as there are quite a lot of components and cards to be organized, but the beauty of each piece and the detailed artwork mean that getting to know the pieces is quite enjoyable. In addition, the setup instructions in the rules booklet are detailed, numbered, and easy to understand, with diagrams included to help even more.
Each player chooses a traveler to play as, each with different characteristics, including how much starting money the player has and any special abilities or allowances. There’s no set rule to determine who goes first, so it is up to you and your party to make a decision. If you need inspiration, you can either place all tokens on the first inn randomly and start with whoever is furthest behind, or the person who has most recently been on an adventure could start.
On your turn, you must move your token forward along the road, choosing a free space to land on. There are no restrictions to this, you can move as close or as far as you would like but be sure to take into account all the spaces you want to visit on your journey. Sometimes the decision is obvious, but other times, you may have to choose between your objectives, especially as not all inns have enough spaces for all travelers to visit at once.
Planning your next action becomes particularly important as you all try to experience everything Japan’s East Sea Road has to offer, especially as players do not take turns in the same way as in most board games. Instead player order is determined by the player who is furthest behind on the board, even if they have just taken a turn. This can mean that players sometimes find themselves in downtime between turns for longer than you would with a game with consecutive turn-taking.
The board itself is quite long and you may find that, in larger groups, it is better for one or two people closest to the relevant section to be responsible for physically moving pieces along and handing out cards, money and souvenirs as needed.
Other Versions, Editions or Expansions Available?
Tokaido is available in a range of languages including English, Italian, German, French and Russian. There are also expansions available including Matsuri and the popular Crossroads expansion which is worth adding on the base game if Tokaido becomes a hit with for you.
Likes & Dislikes
- Beautiful artwork
- Linear board which gives a new perspective on board gaming
- Simple gameplay suitable for all
- Replay value due to different characters
- Small print on board can get cluttered
- Occasional wait (downtime) between turns
Final Thoughts
Tokaido is a beautiful, interesting game with great replay value. A must-have for families and a great game to introduce new players to the world of board gaming. The use of white space on the box makes it stand out in your collection and guests are guaranteed to ask about it if they haven’t seen it before.
There’s no question about Tokaido’s popularity and the small issues players have found are easily overcome to allow the games’ positives to really shine.
