Onitama
A five-by-five martial arts duel where the move you use goes to your opponent next.
What it is
A tiny abstract duel for two, and a good fit for anyone who finds chess too long. Each game uses five movement cards drawn from a set of 16, named for animals like the Dragon, Horse and Cobra. After you use a card it goes through a spare slot and ends up with your opponent, so every move hands them a future option. Win by capturing the enemy Master or by walking your own Master onto their Temple Arch.
What we love
- Five cards out of 16 means the options shift every game
- Two routes to victory: the Way of the Stone and the Way of the Stream
- Set up and finished in about 15 minutes
Honest trade-offs
- Very little luck once the cards are dealt, so mismatched players get lopsided games
- The publisher rates it 14 and up, though some retailers list it younger
- Two players only, always
AI summary of player sentiment
Across the tables we polled, players consistently praise the game's approachability and pacing. The most common complaint is very little luck once the cards are dealt, so mismatched players get lopsided games.
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Content advisory
No content advisory.
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