Saigo no Kane (2008) Board Game

Saigo no Kane, which translates to “The Last Bell” in English, is a board game released in in 2008. Designed by Joanna Krótka, Agnieszka Miroslaw, and Tomasz Tworek, this game is set in a political landscape and revolves around the concept of set collection. With a runtime of around 60 minutes, Saigo no Kane is recommended for players aged 12 and above.

Game Components of Saigo no Kane

Large, brightly colored game board

Small paper standees and overview tables for candidates

Student and item tokens

Influence markers

Teacher and event cards

Wooden hearts (representing popularity) and coins (representing money)

Club tokens (different colors for different clubs).

How To Setup Saigo no Kane

To set up the game, each player is assigned a candidate for the school president election, along with three corresponding standees and initial capital of hearts and coins, as well as three teacher cards. The game board is then populated with four students and four items, and the appropriate number of event cards based on the number of players. Finally, the influence markers and teacher cards are distributed accordingly.

Gameplay Mechanics and Game Objective

Game Objective: The goal is to acquire the necessary influence markers through recruiting students (using popularity) and purchasing items (using money) to successfully conduct events, thereby earning votes.

Gameplay Phases:

Plan Events: Players allocate their figures to events, which require specific influence markers, popularity, and money.

Build Election Team: Players take turns performing actions such as recruiting students, acquiring influence markers, buying items, or playing teacher cards to manipulate the game state.

Conduct Events: Players who meet the requirements for an event share the votes and rewards; those who don’t meet all requirements can still choose some rewards but no votes.

Evaluation: Points are awarded for the most students, items, money, hearts, and influence markers at the end of each round, with a final evaluation in the last round.

Player Experience

**Saigo no Kane** offers a engaging competitive experience, even with just two players. The game involves strategic planning and resource management, as players need to balance their recruitment of students, purchase of items, and use of teacher cards to outmaneuver their opponents. The colorful and thematic illustrations add to the game’s charm, despite some minor quality issues with the materials.

Pros

Unique Theme: Set in a Japanese high school, offering a fresh and interesting setting.

Engaging Mechanics: Combines resource management, strategic planning, and social interaction.

Good for Multiple Players: Enjoyable with 2-4 players, including competitive gameplay even with two players.

Colorful Illustrations: The game components are brightly and thematicly illustrated, enhancing the game’s appeal.

Cons

Material Quality: The game materials are not of the highest quality compared to larger publishers.

Setup and Rules: While the game is engaging, the setup and rules can be somewhat complex for new players.

Personal Thoughts on Saigo no Kane

**Saigo no Kane** is ideal for players who enjoy competitive strategy games with a unique theme. It is particularly suited for those interested in Japanese culture or looking for a game that combines social interaction with resource management. While it may not be perfect in terms of material quality, the game’s charm and engaging mechanics make it a worthwhile addition to any board game collection. If you’re looking for a game that offers a different thematic twist on traditional strategy games, **Saigo no Kane** is definitely worth considering.

We are supported by our audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission, at no extra cost for you. Learn more.