Reviews by our members

• 5

  2 out of 2 members found this review helpful

  George_Kotios

  2023-05-08

  Verified purchase from No Label X

  It is simple, fun, easy to set up, and won't tire you out. It requires strategy and patience, and sometimes surrender! I definitely recommend it.

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  • Fun
  • Simple rules
  • Short completion time
  • Longevity
  • Construction quality
  • Value for money

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• 4

  5 out of 5 members found this review helpful

  GoblinMechanic

  2023-02-08

  Verified purchase

  Do you like chess? Then this board game is for you. Don't like chess but want something similar to play with faster and less complicated rules? First of all, what's up? I want someone like you but not you (just kidding). Secondly, this is Onitama. Two players battle using not armies but students from their dojo. Just like chess simulates a battle of armies, here we have martial arts on tatami mats with a beautiful twist that is also the heart of Onitama. To move one of your pawns, you have to choose between 2 cards that describe the movement your pawn will make. The cards are randomly distributed at the beginning of the game, 2 for each player, and here comes the twist - one card is also placed in the center. Every time you choose a card from those in front of you to make your move, you take the card from the center and replace it with the card you just used. This creates a rotation of all available moves between players, leading the game to the strategic thinking of chess, where you think 2 or 3 moves ahead to find your opponent's blind spots and strike. Strike First, Strike Hard, No Mercy. Its positives include the quality of its construction and the perfect box, a gem for any collection.

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  • Fun
  • Simple rules
  • Short completion time
  • Longevity
  • Construction quality

  • Value for money
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• 4

  3 out of 3 members found this review helpful

  Nikolaos_Nikopolitidis

  2022-09-26

  Verified purchase from No Label X

  This is a game that is 90% based on chess. You randomly choose 5 out of the 16 movement cards, keeping two in front of you face-up, two for the opponent, and one remaining face-up in the middle. You choose one of the two cards in front of you and move one of your 5 pawns accordingly. You place that card in the middle and take the one that was there before. The opponent does the same in their turn. Essentially, you share the same movement cards with your opponent until the game ends. You win if you manage to "capture" the opponent's king or if you reach the initial position of your own king on the board. The unique element of the game is that the movement cards are always face-up, so before making your move, you must also calculate your opponent's response.

  The construction quality is very good, and it is a great idea to make the board with material from a mousepad, which can be easily spread out and folded, resembling papyrus. It is very understandable with minimal and simple rules. If you play correctly, always considering the possible moves of your opponent, it is unlikely to last only 15 minutes as stated on the box, but definitely not more than 45 minutes to 1 hour. There are expansions, but personally, I wouldn't go for them because the game itself is good enough, and the 16 movement cards offer enough different combinations.

  Those who don't enjoy chess will love it as a much simpler, easier, and faster alternative. Those who enjoy chess will love it because, as mentioned before, it is 90% based on chess.

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  • Fun
  • Simple rules
  • Short completion time
  • Longevity
  • Construction quality
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• 

  5

  1 out of 1 members found this review helpful

  manolio87

  2022-08-30Expert user

  An alternative chess game with simpler rules, where your team (the martial arts school you have) must defeat the opponent's master or sit on the throne. Very high-quality pieces and the board is like a mousepad, and the pawns are very beautiful, as well as the box with the insert where the components go, very nice. It is easy but requires thinking because the opponent will have the cards you used in the next round, it has depth and great replayability. It's a bit pricey, but if you find it on sale, "go for it" straight away, it's worth the money.

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  • Fun
  • Simple rules
  • Short completion time
  • Longevity
  • Construction quality

  • Value for money
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• 5

  3 out of 3 members found this review helpful

  George_Papaclown

  2020-04-29

  Perfect strategy game in which in order to win, you have to "capture" the opponent's "master" pawn or sit on their throne. The moves on the pawns are made each time with 5 out of the 16 cards that the game has, which are randomly selected at the beginning of each match and which, after being played by each player, will be available to the opponent. In this way, the cards circulate and the players try to exploit them to trap the opponent and predict their moves. The game has great replayability because in each match, the 5 cards-moves out of the 16 are in a different combination with each other.

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  • Fun
  • Simple rules
  • Longevity
  • Construction quality
  • Value for money

  • Average completion time
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• 5

  dovrisdimitris

  2022-07-15

  Verified purchase

  For chess fans, it is perfect!

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  • Fun
  • Simple rules
  • Short completion time
  • Longevity
  • Construction quality
  • Value for money
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• 5

  XLR.at.OR

  2021-08-25

  Verified purchase

  Smart and quite addictive game.

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  • Fun
  • Simple rules
  • Longevity
  • Value for money

  • Average completion time
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• 5

  Stathis_Orfanidis99

  2024-05-23

  Verified purchase

  • Fun
  • Simple rules
  • Short completion time
  • Longevity
  • Construction quality
  • Value for money
• 5

  Chrysa_Daly

  2023-01-26

  Verified purchase from No Label X

  • Fun
  • Simple rules
  • Short completion time
  • Longevity
  • Construction quality
  • Value for money
• 5

  chrysoglousavvas

  2022-08-23

  Verified purchase

  • Fun
  • Simple rules
  • Short completion time
  • Longevity
  • Construction quality
  • Value for money
• 5

  'Εκτορας

  2022-06-09

  Verified purchase

  • Moderately fun
  • Moderate difficulty rules
  • Average completion time
  • Longevity
  • Construction quality
• 5

  Στάθης Νικόλας

  2021-03-23

  Verified purchase from No Label X

  • Fun
  • Simple rules
  • Longevity
  • Construction quality
  • Value for money

  • Average completion time