List of Japanese board games

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is a list of board games invented or developed in Japan.

Game name Year Origin Players Gameplay style Similar Games Reference
Love Letter 2012 Kanai Factory 2–4 Risk and deduction game Coup
Gomoku (五目並べ, gomokunarabe) circa 850 Traditional 2 Strategic abstract game played with Go pieces on a Renju board (15×15), goal to reach five in a row Renju, Four in a row
Jinsei Game (人生ゲーム, jin-sei gēmu) 1967 Takara ? Japanese adaption of The Game of Life The Game of Life
Machi Koro (街コロ) 2012 Grounding Inc. 2–5 Tabletop city-building/resource-gathering game using cards and dice Catan
Renju (連珠) 1899 Traditional 2 Strategic five-in-a-row game with equal chances for both players Pente, Gomoku
Riichi Mahjong (リーチ麻雀, Riichi Maajan) 1924 Traditional 4 Chinese Mahjong with Japanese rules Mahjong
Shadow Hunters (シャドウハンターズ, shadō hantāzu) 2005 Game Republic 4–8 Supernatural themed, strategic, secret team play Bang!, Mafia
Shogi and variants (将棋, shōgi, generals' chess) Japanese chess 16th Century Traditional 2 Played on a 9×9 board; can use captured pieces against opponent Chess
Sugoroku (双六) 6th Century Traditional ? Race game, two variants Backgammon (variant), Snakes and Ladders (variant)
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