The temple can have any number of coins given to it.
On any one visit though you can ONLY deposit 3 coins.
There a multiple temple tiles so you can, if you wish, put 1,2 or 3 coins on the temple each time you visit. Some traveller encounters or character abilities also influence coins put on the temple.
On any one visit though you can ONLY deposit 3 coins.
There a multiple temple tiles so you can, if you wish, put 1,2 or 3 coins on the temple each time you visit. Some traveller encounters or character abilities also influence coins put on the temple.
Teaching It. Tokaido is one of my favorite games to teach to people. Basically, you're on vacation. So you get points doing all the stuff you do on vacation. Buy souvenirs, take pretty pictures, engage the local culture, meet interesting people, eat good food. You also apparently work on random farms and bathe in hot springs (that hopefully include monkeys!), so it doesn't all make sense, but whatever. The actions associated with the spaces are kept quite simple(something I love in games), so explaining how it all works is a snap.
Playing It. Along with being fun to teach and easy to learn, Tokaido offers a great playing experience. It's light and relaxing, which can be a great alternative to heavy and taxing. In many ways you really do feel like you're taking your time along the road, trying to have the best experience (get the most points) that you can.
Looking at It. The minimalist board design in this game is fantastic. Everything is clean and easy to understand. It's not hard to imagine someone designing a more "realistic" board for this game and just making a total hash of it. In Tokaido's case, less is definitely more.
Two-Player If you've read many of my reviews, you'll know I mostly play two-player games with my wife. Usually I'm leery when a game uses a "dummy" for two-players, but here it works. Basically, whenever it's the dummy's turn, whoever is in first moves him. This is a nice choice, because it makes it impossible for a player to move the dummy and then take a turn themselves. You can still make some clever moves with the dummy, however, and using him well is key in a two-player game.
Characters I am a big fan of games that give the players different abilities. I think it is a fantastic way to make games replayable, and Tokaido does a great job with its characters. I always enjoy taking the time before a game to debrief everyone's abilities.
