Publisher: iello

Designer: Richard Garfield

Players: 2-6

Time: 30 minutes

Ages: 8+

Here is a game that takes beating each other up to a whole new level!!

In King of Tokyo, you take the role of being a larger than life monster trying to destroy all the other monsters as well as take control of the city of Tokyo.  Who ever can kill off all the other monsters or gain 20 victory points will be the King of Tokyo.

This game packs a big punch from a small box.  It is easy to get people learning and engaged.  To start with, you need to choose your monster.  There are multiple choices from Cyber Bunny, a large mechanical bunny controlled by an alien, to The Kraken, a gigantic lobster/squid hybrid.  Nothing is different about the monsters in the beginning of the game only the look.

You’re goal in the game is to kill all the monsters or get 20 victory points.  Everyone starts with 10 health and 0 victory points.  On your turn, you will roll 6 dice, Yatzee style, to determine what your monster can do.  Claw marks attack other monsters, hearts heal your monster, lightning bolts gain you energy and numbers will get you points.

There are a couple of ways to damage other monsters when you roll claw marks.  First, if you are not in Tokyo you damage only the monster who is in Tokyo.  If you are lucky enough on your turn to be in Tokyo, then you damage ALL the monsters who are not in Tokyo.  Once you attack a monster who is in Tokyo, they can choose to stay or get out.  If they choose to leave Tokyo then the person who attacked them has to go into Tokyo.  When you take over Tokyo you get one victory point and if you are able to stay in Tokyo until your next turn you will get 2 victory points.

Whenever you take damage, you will have the chance to heal yourself.  During your turn if you roll hearts you can heal one damage for each heart you decide to keep.  However, if you are in Tokyo, you can not heal.

The lighting bolts allow you to collect energy.  With this energy you can then buy cards to create an even more unstoppable force.  These cards give your monster extra bonuses or powers throughout the game.  Some give you a bunch of victory points, or extra damage when you attack, or allow you to come back to life after being dead.  This is where the game really shines.  Finding great combinations that makes you feel like your monster really is this unstoppable force to be reckoned with.

The last thing the dice allow you to get is just straight up victory points.  When you roll a set of numbers you get points based on the number you roll.  Three twos on the dice give you 2 points.  While three threes give you 3 points.  If you happen to roll four of a kind you just add an extra point.

King of Tokyo is a fantastic family game for all ages.  I know the box says 8+ but our 5 year old can handle her own.  She wins often!  Even our 3 year old will roll the dice and understand which ones she likes to keep and which ones she doesn’t.  If you want to go attack each other but in a playful way, King of Tokyo is hard to beat.

Until next time, stay in Tokyo as long as you can!

-Tim