Tokaido

[Een]

We are very happy to present you today with the game Tokaido from Antoine Bauza, beautifully illustrated by Naiade.

Tokaido's publisher is Funforge, to whom we extend a big "thank you" for allowing us to create this online version. By the way, before reading on, please give them back some love with a thumbs up on their Facebook page

So what is this about, and why the exotic name? Well, Tokaido literally means "East Sea Road", and in Japan, it is the name for a road long of about 500 km linking the towns of Edo (named Tokyo nowadays) and Kyoto. And for you, as a worthy traveler of the Japan of old, it is about travelling that famous road, and making it the experience of a lifetime (as the journey was about 53 stops long and lasted about two weeks, there was quite some time available to make the most of it).

For an unforgettable journey, you'll need to discover beautiful panoramas, but also to bring back gifts for family and friends (some things don't change over the years), enjoy local culinary specialties, make rewarding encounters and have some relaxing time in the hot springs... without forgetting to work from time to time on a farm to get the money needed to pay for the best of the best at each stop. Relax and enjoy life as it comes on the road : it's a wonderful occasion to practice your sense of aesthetics and your zen!

But of course nothing is ever perfect: other travelers go over the same road... and even if you are a master of zen, it can be pretty infuriating to be unable to enjoy a panorama or to access a hot spring because of overcrowding! To enjoy the road best and win the game, you'll need to make the most of each stop, and never hesitate to block a stop essential for other travelers when you can. You'll see that the game can become pretty tense when you try to optimise both what you'll get and what the others won't get at the same time: "Sorry guys, I took that spot because of the view... it's really beautiful, you know..."

You should also know that Funforge has been making ready to release an expansion box called "Tokaido: Crossroads" during the Essen game fair, which will give you twice as many choices as before at each stop on the road! If you love Tokaido and plan to travel to Essen this year, don't forget... to stop on the way to enjoy panoramas of course, but also to preorder your box of "Tokaido: Crossroads" to get a discount and a special character tile as a goodie!

[Oso]

Beautiful art graphic :3.

[metta]

nice medium-level game. not too heavy nor easy

[wrrlykam]

Excellent news. I bought Tokaido at the 2013 UK Board Game Expo and haven't had a chance to play it properly (had to solo it to pick up the rules).

[Speusippus]

This is really great!

For some reason, I can't find the rules for the "New Encounters" expansion anywhere on line. What are the rules for the four new cards in that expansion? And how many copies do you put into the deck in the BGA implementation?

[Een]

Glad you enjoy the game!

The New Encounters description is available on BGG: http://boardgamegeek.com/image/1452161/ ... encounters
And there is 2 cards of each, as suggested also on BGG: http://boardgamegeek.com/thread/932746/ ... e-too-many

Cheers,
Een

[teasel]

i absolutely love this game,the rules for the expansion are already out and they introduce quite a lot of things (each space now give you 2 choice so for example when you enter a panorama space you can take a cherry tree card instead which give you less point but also give you 1 coin) i understand the expansion is not officialy even out but i was wondering if there was hope for it to be here on BGA in a month or two

EDIT: a summary of the expansion rules

- if you enter a panorama space,either pick that panorama or pick a cherry tree worth 2 points and 1 coin
- if you enter a hot spring space,either pick the hot spring or pay 1 coin to pick a bath house tile worth 4 points
- if you enter a souvenir shop,either buy souvenir as usual or get 1 legendary item instead,there are 6 items of 3 kinds,type 1 is worth 1 point for every souvenir and cost 1 coin,type 2 cost 2 coin and count as a family of his own (so if you have a full set already it's worth 9 point) and type 3 give cost 3 coins and give you 8 points straight
- if you enter a farm you can go instead to a gambling house,bet 2 coins and throw a dice... the dice is either 0x 1x 2x 3x or 4x so you either lose 2 coins,gain 0 coins,gain 2 coin,gain 4 coin or gain 6 coins
- if you enter a temple you can pay 1 coin for an amulet of your choice,amulet effect include

1) if you get the lead,get another turn
2) get a free meal
3) get both choice when you enter a space
4) throw the gamble dice and get coin equal to the value
5) get to a space occupied by another player
6) coin spent on an item go to the temple instead (you still get the item)

- if you enter an encounter space you can get a caligraphy item instead which scores point at the end of the game depending on how you play,these include

1) score 3 point for every skipped meal
2) score 2 point for every coin unspent you have in the end
3) score 3 point for every completed panorama and 1 point for every cherry tree
4) score 2 point per legendary item and 1 point for every souvenir
5) score 6 point if you are the last to arrive at the final inn,4 point if you are the second to last player and 2 point in the other case's
6) score 2 point per accomplishment and 1 point for every caligraphy item

to complete it all there are 6 new travelers

1) the yakuza - 5 coins - everytime he arrives on one of the three inn he can bet a single coin to the gambling house
2) the gourmet - 2 coins - he scores point equal to the price of the meal he eats
3) the old lady - 4 coins - when she stops on an encounter space,she can get both the encounter AND the caligraphy item
4) the superstitious woman - 4 coins - when she stops on a temple space,she can both donate coin to the temple AND buy an amulet
5) the kid - 3 coins - when he arrives on one of the three inn he gets a free souvenir
6) the souvenir seller - 0 coins - when he stops at a panorama he gets one coin

[BennyBoy161]

Easy to learn and great fun Thank you.