Hokkaido (2018) Board Game – Board Game Guys

Hokkaido is a board game released in 2018, designed by Ossi Hiekkala and Jere Kasanen. The game is set in the beautiful island of Hokkaido, Japan, known for its scenic landscapes and unique culture. Players take on the role of pioneers settling and developing the island, competing to build the most successful and prosperous territories.

Game Components of Hokkaido

Starting Cards (each player gets one)

Resource Cubes

Terraforming tiles (double-sided)

Map Cards

Goal Cards

Score sheet

Factories, forests, mountains, lakes, and deserts (represented on the cards)

How To Setup Hokkaido

To set up Hokkaido, each player starts with a Starting Card, which has two sides – a general side and a more specialized side. Players place Resource Cubes on their Starting Card where there are matching colored square spaces. Next, the Terraforming tiles are set out, and if using Goals, two more than the number of players are flipped. The Map Cards are shuffled, and each player is dealt six cards. Finally, the score sheet is set aside, and the game is ready to begin.

Gameplay Mechanics and Game Objective

Key Mechanics

Card Drafting: Players draft cards to add to their city.

Map Building: Players build their city by adding cards, ensuring at least one square of each card is visible.

Terraforming: Using tiles to modify the city.

Game Objective

The objective is to score the most points by building a city, completing goals, and efficiently using resources.

Phases:
– Drafting Phase: Players select cards to add to their city.
– Map Phase: Players add the selected cards to their city.

Scoring:
– Points from Goal Cards (3 points each).
– Forests and mountains (2 points each).
– Cities on each side of the mountain (2 points per tile in the smaller city).
– Factories with matching resource cubes (generally 4 points each).
– Lakes (second and subsequent lake tiles are worth 3 points each).

Player Experience

Hokkaido offers a streamlined and simplified experience compared to its predecessor, Honshu, by removing the trick-taking system and introducing pure drafting mechanics. The game’s theme, focused on mountainous and icy landscapes, adds a unique aesthetic. The rules, particularly those involving mountain placement, can be a bit complex initially but become clearer with practice.

Pros

Simplified Mechanics: Easier to learn than Honshu.

Engaging Theme: The wintry and icy theme can be very appealing.

Strategic Depth: The drafting and map-building mechanics offer significant strategic opportunities.

Fair Competition: Players can tie for goals, with clear rules for resolving ties.

Cons

Initial Complexity: Rules about mountain placement can be confusing at first.

Resource Management: Requires careful planning to optimize resource cube placement.

Personal Thoughts on Hokkaido

Hokkaido is ideal for fans of card drafting and area building games who enjoy strategic gameplay with a unique theme. It is particularly suited for those who prefer games with a simpler learning curve but still offer depth in gameplay. If you enjoy building and managing your own city while navigating the challenges of resource and space management, Hokkaido is a great choice.

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