In the Onitama game, two karate schools face off. Protect your sensei, while trying to defeat your rivals!

TLDR: Chess pieces have set ways to move on a big board. Movement options in Onitama, though, are dictated by a random card draw at the beginning of the game. I like it!

You might already know that, at ThoughtFuelSupply, we have a preference for games of strategy versus games of chance. Christina, in particular, rolls her eyes at rolling dice. She loves pure strategy games like Hive and Gobblet. And, yes, chess.

I’m easier to please. Leveling the playing field with a random element, or reshaping the field completely, is fun for me. This is why Betrayal at House on the Hill and Pandemic are two of my favorite games.

Play an Onitama game when you crave chess but lack time

Onitama has a foot in both schools. It is easy to learn and can take years to master. But it’s fun right out of the gate.

At the beginning of the game, you deal five “fighting style” cards from the deck. For the rest of the game, both players can only use those five moves: slither like a serpent, trample like an elephant, or pounce like a tiger! You get the idea.

Once the cards have been dealt, the random selection is over, and it’s pure strategy. But since the movement options are randomized each game, the game is very different each time you play it.

If you love the strategy of chess but balk at the time commitment — or your gaming partner does — this is a great way to get the same mind-lighting strategy play in less time and with less energy. The game is also beautiful to hold, behold, and have on your shelf. The pieces, the board, and even the packaging are beautiful and well thought out.

Onitama is fun. It’s short. It’s worth playing a few times in a row once you set it up. And the pieces and playing field are beautiful and high quality.

2 players.
15 minutes.
Age: 8+
Playable again and again.
Takes your brain to the dojo for a short workout.

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