by z10n x
20X Reviews is my commitment to eventually review every game I've played twenty times or more. I'm a casual gamer, so most of my games fall in the light to medium range. My ideal game takes 30-60 minutes to play and is easy to teach while retaining depth and replay ability.How to Play: Players roll a set of six gorgeous custom dice and re-roll unwanted die results twice. The dice allow players to score victory points, attack other monsters, heal themselves, and accrue energy cubes that can be used to buy power-up cards. At pretty much all times, one monster (or two if you’re playing with 5-6 players) maintains control of Tokyo. Monsters in Tokyo gain victory points for going in and staying in, and they can attack all other monsters while controlling the city. However, the king of Tokyo cannot heal, and all monsters attack him/her. King of Tokyo offers two paths to victory: kill all other monsters or reach 20 victory points. Pacifists and warmongers can follow their desired paths and share an equal chance at victory in this mayhem-filled thrill ride!
I've played it so much because:
1. The game’s mechanics are simple and effective. I value games that are easy to teach but have enough weight to support numerous plays. The Yahtzee-like mechanic of dice re-rolling is tight, and the power-up cards completely change the gameplay. It’s a new game each time because the cards significantly alter players’ strategy.
2. It hits the sweet spot of 30-45 minutes. I placed King of Tokyo at the top of my Top 10 Double Date Games because my wife and I have played it with so many other couples, both gamers and non-gamers. You can get anyone to buy into a 30-minute game.
3. The graphics are awesome. Big, chunky, custom black/lime green dice? Ridiculous, over-the-top monsters? Sign me up!
4. It’s versatile. I play with my high school students frequently. I also play with family, friends, and more hardcore gamers. With most groups, it’s a feature game. With my heavier game groups, it’s a quick filler between other games.
I'd play it more if:
1. the power-up cards were better balanced. Sometimes I feel like one player gets a card that breaks the game. Other players can spend two energy cubes to reset the power cards on their turn, but it’s not always possible to stop a game-breaking card in time.
2. King of New York had been an expansion rather than a standalone game. I played King of New York with a heavier game group for the first time last night. It was a bit meatier and felt like less of a filler among our other games like Galaxy Trucker. I understand the reasoning behind releasing KONY as a separate game, but it’d be nice to have both options in the same box without spending so much.
Overall: I love King of Tokyo. It’s a 9.5 for me and my number four overall game behind Pandemic Legacy: Season 1, Legendary: A Marvel Deck Building Game, and The Game. It’s, in my opinion, the best gateway game. People talk about King of Tokyo months after playing it. They love the goofy characters, the custom dice, and the fun power ups. There's enough strategy and novelty to keep gamers interested, too. As of 12/30/16, I’ve played 27 times in the 11 months I’ve owned the game.