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Synopsis: You are one of several pilgrims taking a trip along the 52 stations of the Tokaido, from Kyoto to Edo. Your goal is to have the most enriching journey possible. The journey is broken up into legs, with a restaurant punctuating each phase of the game. Here players will congregate and have an option of buying meals.
If you are the person farthest back along the route, it is your turn. So while you have the capacity to race ahead, it means you will then be waiting several turns as other people slowly overtake you. Each station gives you an activity, which work towards points: donations to the temple, encounters with people along the way, purchasing souvenirs, or visiting glorious panoramas.
Commentary: My synopsis is rather brief because Tokaido is a fairly established game at this point, and my review is more of an excuse to show off the deluxe edition. Tokaido, like many of Bauza’s games, trends more towards a casual gameplay. Some have suggested Tokaido tends to play you rather than the other way around, as there are several times where there is a patently optimal play constraining the feeling of choice.
The concern about the limited gameplay is very much addressed by the Crossroads expansion. Although this does substantially change the feel and experience of the game. Tokaido vanilla is a Zen game, with subtle but mindful strategy. With Crossroads, there is much more to consider, and this can slow down the ambient pace created by the game. The Masturi expansion, on the other hand works much more seamlessly with the original feel of the game.
Tokaido is also celebrated for its minimalist artwork. The openness of the white space created by the board makes for a sublime contrast with the colourful game pieces and cards. This aesthetic adds to the experience of the game significantly. So if we are to judge it on its aesthetic merit, then a deluxe edition is somewhat warranted.
The key to whether the deluxe version is worth it will be a balance against the impracticality of the game in transporting it and the lightness of the game. there is a correlation between box size and complexity, which factors in to how games are transported to gaming events. Tokaido deluxe is a large box, almost 50% again large than the standard box. This means it is unlikely to feature as anything else than a mantelpiece game, or showcase game presented at home. Especially given it comes in at twice the cost.
Verdict: Tokaido is more of an experience than a game, one is made resplendent through the deluxe edition. Whether this is worth it for you will comes down to space, practicalities, and affordability. In most instances, the standard version is artful enough to suffice.
Expansions: There are two expansions as of writing this game, both of them are small enough to not warrant an individual entry for my part in reviewing them. The Crossroads expansion introduces an alternative choice for each station of the Tokaido. They often represent a higher risk/cost reward category of similar nature compared to the standard option.
The Masturi expansion allows the first person to the restaurant to choose one of several festivals to put into effect, implements a rule for the following leg of the journey.
facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StoryBoardGames/
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Synopsis: You are one of several pilgrims taking a trip along the 52 stations of the Tokaido, from Kyoto to Edo. Your goal is to have the most enriching journey possible. The journey is broken up into legs, with a restaurant punctuating each phase of the game. Here players will congregate and have an option of buying meals.
If you are the person farthest back along the route, it is your turn. So while you have the capacity to race ahead, it means you will then be waiting several turns as other people slowly overtake you. Each station gives you an activity, which work towards points: donations to the temple, encounters with people along the way, purchasing souvenirs, or visiting glorious panoramas.
Commentary: My synopsis is rather brief because Tokaido is a fairly established game at this point, and my review is more of an excuse to show off the deluxe edition. Tokaido, like many of Bauza’s games, trends more towards a casual gameplay. Some have suggested Tokaido tends to play you rather than the other way around, as there are several times where there is a patently optimal play constraining the feeling of choice.
The concern about the limited gameplay is very much addressed by the Crossroads expansion. Although this does substantially change the feel and experience of the game. Tokaido vanilla is a Zen game, with subtle but mindful strategy. With Crossroads, there is much more to consider, and this can slow down the ambient pace created by the game. The Masturi expansion, on the other hand works much more seamlessly with the original feel of the game.
Tokaido is also celebrated for its minimalist artwork. The openness of the white space created by the board makes for a sublime contrast with the colourful game pieces and cards. This aesthetic adds to the experience of the game significantly. So if we are to judge it on its aesthetic merit, then a deluxe edition is somewhat warranted.
The key to whether the deluxe version is worth it will be a balance against the impracticality of the game in transporting it and the lightness of the game. there is a correlation between box size and complexity, which factors in to how games are transported to gaming events. Tokaido deluxe is a large box, almost 50% again large than the standard box. This means it is unlikely to feature as anything else than a mantelpiece game, or showcase game presented at home. Especially given it comes in at twice the cost.
Verdict: Tokaido is more of an experience than a game, one is made resplendent through the deluxe edition. Whether this is worth it for you will comes down to space, practicalities, and affordability. In most instances, the standard version is artful enough to suffice.
Expansions: There are two expansions as of writing this game, both of them are small enough to not warrant an individual entry for my part in reviewing them. The Crossroads expansion introduces an alternative choice for each station of the Tokaido. They often represent a higher risk/cost reward category of similar nature compared to the standard option.
The Masturi expansion allows the first person to the restaurant to choose one of several festivals to put into effect, implements a rule for the following leg of the journey.