A relaxing journey or a sharp and strategic gathering of goodies? Tokaido is an experience that will change depending on who is playing! (PHOTOS COMING SOON)
Browsing. Urgh. I hate browsing. If I must shop, I’m in, out, and home as fast as possible. I know what I want before I go, and, so far as possible, I reserve what it is before approaching the store. conversely, I love walking, however, with my boots and backpack securely fastened, I still need a destination. Not necessarily a purpose, but definitely a journey with defined parameters.
And so, coming to Tokaido, I was somewhat sceptical of what I thought would be a rather aimless experience. Pootling along collecting items from various destinations along the “East Sea Road” in Japan. The fact Stonemaier have gathered it up into their retinue made me think there must be something worthwhile going on under that zen like exterior, however, and so we opened the box and started our explorations.
Now, just to be clear, this game is not new – it came out over 13 years ago from designer Antoine Bauza. And it appears to have a relatively steady fan base, albeit not the biggest. Jamey and his team are big fans of the OG but saw some things in it that they thought could be enhanced. A way to widen the appeal beyond those already familiar with Tokaido. So the series including Duo and expansion content is now firmly within Stonemaier’s portfolio.
If you aren’t familiar with the gameplay (which hasn’t changed), this is primarily a set collection, action selection experience with a linear track that dictates turn order. Players decide how far along the road they wish to travel before reaching an Inn for refuelling. Each destination (shops, farms etc.) offers up items which your character will want to collect in order to enhance their diversity of knowledge and experience. A little like Patchwork and La Vina, the player in last place gets to move along the road next and decide whether to race for ideal items or slowly wander in order to fit in more turns. Risking being left with the dregs versus not having enough of everything to show for your trip. Not every spot is a simple grab-and-go affair, however. Some, like Encounters, (where you meet various effect-causing folks) focus on exchanges, whilst others enhance scoring opportunities. Inns also throw in some restrictions based on what players have dined on previously. Two player games use an additional dummy player that works to blocks spots to which players would otherwise have access – in a flip move, it is the player leading the pack who gets to decide where this neutral player pauses.
Stonemaier have come in with some subtle, aesthetic enhancements – the epically long board now has a visually cleaner scoring track printed around the edge making it easier to process (although there is an unfortunate slight misalignment along the road but which doesn’t affect gameplay). The rule book, which is now printed in Stonemaier’s signature lush linen finish, is also now gender neutral and includes a few clarifications. Character cards now have an explanation of abilities on the reverse side, and Icons also have added explanatory text to help flow and understanding. Perhaps not really necessary, there are also player reference cards and bigger point tokens. But the most significant change is the addition of an Automa Factory solo mode. In a noble nod to countering suggestions of money for old rope, the pack can be purchased separately to avoid fans having to repurchase the entire game. This pack also includes upgraded panorama cards (tiles) which aren’t solo specific but were apparently guilty of sub-par production in the original. I have nothing to compare them to, but these ones are very nice.
And in terms of gameplay, I was also expecting to summarise the experience as, well, in a word, nice. The expectation of a relaxing romp along the road was subtly chipped away, however. Granted, the competitive side is subtle, but a passive aggression was beating at the heart of our games. Moves intent on blocking what we predicted each other would want meant more that capitalising on tactics to boost our own positions. Knives hidden behind smiles. But of course that is only our experience. As competitive players, we find the fight in everything. It is a healthy and enjoyable release from the cooperative nature of family life. Compromises need not be made at the gaming table in the way they must at the dinner table. I can completely see this being absent in games played with folks who just like going along for the ride. Maximalists focusing on making the most of what they can do with their asymmetric player powers. Keeping out of each other’s way completely would be a tall order, but refraining from intentionally messing with opponents is perfectly possible.
So, nice, I think, isn’t really sufficient or fair to describe Tokaido. It’s undeniably beautiful in its appearance – the artwork is delicate and delightful. And the gameplay is more complex than it would have you believe. Not in terms of rules – it is simple to learn and to play – but in terms of decisions. Each spot has potential to cause a number of effects. Some immediate, others building to something bigger. And the group you play with is likely to substantially affect the vibe and atmosphere. That level of flexibility is underrated and is something to be coveted. Tokaido might not be a game my husband and I play every week, but when we do that road is going to be littered with the broken shards of our opponents’ dreams of reaching Edo in first place.
