Sakura (2018) Board Game – Board Game Guys

Sakura is an abstract strategy board game designed by Reiner Knizia and published by Arclight Games in in 2018. The game has received positive reviews for its unique gameplay mechanics and beautiful artwork by Kevin Hong. It is designed for 2 to 6 players, with a recommended age of 10 and up.

Game Components of Sakura

Game board

Painter tokens

Starting point tokens

Hand cards with initiative numbers, garden actions, and player actions

Scoring spaces

How To Setup Sakura

To set up the game, players place the game board within reach. Each player receives a painter token and the five starting points of a color. The cards are shuffled, and each player gets a starting hand of five cards.

Gameplay Mechanics and Game Objective

Simultaneous Action Selection: Players secretly and simultaneously choose one of their hand cards to play.

Hand Management: Each card has an initiative number, a garden action, and a player action.

Game Objective: The goal is to be close to the emperor when he smells the cherry blossoms but not so close as to cause disgrace. The player with the most points after the emperor stops three times wins.

Card Activation: Cards activate in initiative order, with garden actions moving the emperor or players, followed by player actions that move the player.

Scoring: Points are awarded based on the player’s position relative to the emperor when he reaches one of the three scoring spaces.

Player Experience

Sakura offers a light and humorous gaming experience with plenty of room for laughs and player interaction. Players must balance the risk of being too close to the emperor, which can result in losing points, against the need to be close enough to score. The game’s simplicity and short playtime make it accessible and enjoyable for a wide range of audiences.

Pros

Simple Rules: Easy to learn and get started quickly.

Hilarious Theme: The game’s theme of court painters trying to impress the emperor adds a fun and engaging element.

Clean Design: The game has a very clean and intuitive design.

Risk Management: Players must manage risk, adding a tactical layer to the game.

Cons

Limited Strategy: The game does not have much in the way of deep strategy.

Luck Element: There is an element of luck, as player plans can go awry due to card activations.

Personal Thoughts on Sakura

Sakura is ideal for groups looking for a quick, fun, and light-hearted game that doesn’t require a lot of setup or complex rules. It’s perfect for families, casual gamers, or as a filler game between more complex sessions. While it may not stand out as one of Reiner Knizia’s most strategic games, it excels in providing an enjoyable and laughter-filled experience.

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