KING OF TOKYO (2011)

PLAYERS	TIME	DESIGNER	PUBLISHER
2-6	30 mins	Richard Garfield	IELLO

In KING OF TOKYO, players choose a mighty creature and go head-to-head in a titanic punch up with Tokyo as the battleground.

This is done by rolling six (or more) of the most chunky of dice, and then using the results to either score, heal, power up . . . or punch!

This is not a crunchy game, by any means. But that’s the beauty, that’s the appeal. This is a gateway game. Its tactics go as deep as “do I heal, or do I punch?”.

What KING OF TOKYO does offer, is accessibility, and a whole lot of fun.

From its mad mix of ‘famous’ and not so famous creatures, to those killer dice, this game is bright, colourful, and looks like it’s jumped right out of a Saturday morning cartoon.

Of course, it’s not too simple. As well as healing or fighting, players can gain energy, which is the currency of the game. They can use this energy to buy ability cards to help themselves, or hinder other players.

The game has two win conditions; first to 20 points, or last creature standing. It’s easy to teach, family friendly, and doesn’t last forever. And there are some fantastic expansions too.

Of course, it’s not perfect. Some may not enjoy the luck factor of the game. When all you want to do is punch everyone, and all you roll are hearts (which, if you’re in Tokyo, aren’t useful at all) it can be frustrating.

Another downside is that Last Creature Standing means player elimination, which is not fun

And while the thought of standing over you beaten opponents as the true King of Tokyo is the dream, I’ve rarely had a game that finished without instead turning into a race for points.

KING OF TOKYO is a fun 30 minute scrap with some great looking creatures, and the best dice in all of gaming history. It’s a starter game that deserves to hang around in a collection.