Tokaido: A Relaxing Game for Two... With a Twist
Have you ever dreamed of traveling back in time to explore an ancient land? With Tokaido (otherwise known as my new favorite board game) from Funforge, you can do just that. The catch? You'll be playing against your friends and loved ones to see who can have the most prosperous trip.
In the season premiere of Wil Wheaton's TableTop, he described Tokaido as “the most Zen-like cutthroat game you'll ever play,” and he couldn't have been more right. In Tokaido, each player starts in Kyoto, then proceeds to make their way across the scenic East Sea Road toward Edo (modern-day Tokyo). Along the way, opportunities arise to shop for souvenirs, bathe in the hot springs, makes friends and paint landscapes in an effort to have what is essentially the best vacation ever. That is, of course, as long as your opponents don't swoop in and steal your points of interest.
Tokaido supports up to five players, but it includes a unique rule to enhance the experience of playing one-on-one. If you and someone special are looking for a new addition to game night, I highly recommend picking up a copy for your home collection or – if you live in the New York area – heading down to the Uncommons board game cafe in the East Village and seeing if they have it on the shelves.
Photo courtesy of shutupandsitdown.com.