Home>Onitama

2014 · Abstract Strategy

Onitama

Two players command a small force on a 5×5 board, each with a central master and four students. Movement options are determined by a rotating set of five visible cards: each player holds two cards, one card sits aside, and players select a card to move any of their pieces then swap that card with the spare. Pieces capture by moving onto an opponent’s pawn. A player wins by capturing the opponent’s master or by moving their master into the opponent master’s starting temple. The game is perfect information with a randomized initial card draw that changes tactical options each session.

Players: 2
Playing time: 15–20 min
Age: 10+
Complexity: 1.7 / 5

6.9 on Ludoya from $24.99Hand ManagementGrid MovementStatic Capture

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On Ludoya's tables

Full stats in Ludoya

1,018
Plays logged: 368
Players: 16m 53s
Average play: 170
In collections: 26
On wishlists: 2
Pre-ordered

6.9/10

from 84 Ludoya reviews

Fun10.0
Interaction10.0
Replayability10.0
Uniqueness10.0
Looks10.0
Accessibility10.0

Garfield6.0
#17 Chess-like game that plays very quickly. [c] Theme: :nostar::nostar::nostar::nostar::nostar:  Gameplay: :star::star::nostar::nostar::nostar:  Interaction: :star::star::nostar::nostar::nostar:  Artwork: :star::star::star::star::nostar:  Luck: :nostar::nostar::nostar::nostar::nostar:  Strategy: :star::star::star::star::star:  Components: :star::star::star::star::nostar:  Play duration: :star::star::star::star::star:  Easy to teach: :star::star::star::star::nostar:  Rules quality: :star::star::star::star::star:  Setup time: :star::star::star::star::star:  No downtime: :star::star::star::star::nostar:  Replay value: :star::star::nostar::nostar::nostar:  [/c]
BWizard7.5
[c] (15x) GAMING EXPERIENCE: :star::star::star::star::star::star::star::nostar::nostar::nostar: (5x) DEPTH / WEIGHT: :star::star::star::star::star::star::nostar::nostar::nostar::nostar: (5x) LUCK: :star::star::star::star::star::star::star::star::star::nostar: (10x) REPLAYABILITY: :star::star::star::star::star::star::nostar::nostar::nostar::nostar: (6x) MECHANICS: :star::star::star::star::star::star::nostar::nostar::nostar::nostar: (6x) PLAYER INTERACTION: :star::star::star::star::star::star::star::star::star::star: (3x) SCALABILITY (PLAYER COUNT): :star::star::star::star::star::star::star::star::star::star: (2x) LENGTH: :star::star::star::star::star::star::star::nostar::nostar::nostar: (2x) CLARITY OF RULES: :star::star::star::star::star::star::star::star::star::star: (6x) COMPONENT QUALITY: :star::star::star::star::star::star::star::star::nostar::nostar: [/c] Homemade :thumbsup: With all expansions and cards. :thumbsup: I made the whole game myself. New design, same rules.
Mohasz7.6
I think I'd like it, but it gets no love in my family. My biggest problem with these pure abstract games is that we don't play them enough to get better at them. So in the end, our moves are quite arbitrary, and games often end like "Oh, I guess I've / you've won..." because someone has made a mistake. The other one is Santorini, and If I had to choose between the two, Onitama would have to go. As much as I found it fascinating and beautiful, I have to admit that pure abstract games are still not my thing, I had to sell it. The app is still there if I'd ever want to play it again.

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Rules questions

Answered from the rulebook by Ludoya's rules assistant.

Are the moves on a spirit card rotated depending on which side I'm playing, or are they absolute on the board?

Movement patterns on spirit cards are applied relative to the player whose turn it is (they face the player who uses them), so you do not rotate the card—use the pattern from your side of the board (page 1).

What happens to a spirit card after I use it—do I discard it? How do the cards move between players?

When you play one of your two spirit cards, perform the move, then place the card you played into the center as the neutral card and take the neutral card into your hand, so the three cards rotate between players (page 1).

How do I win the game?

There are two immediate win conditions: capture the opponent’s Master piece, or move your Master onto the opponent’s Temple Arch square; achieving either ends the game instantly (page 1).

Can I move onto a square already occupied by my own pawn?

No; a legal move must land on an empty square or on a square occupied by an opponent’s pawn (in which case you capture it), you cannot move onto a square occupied by your own piece (page 1).

What if I have no legal moves on my turn—do I skip or lose?

If, on your turn, you have no legal move available using either of your spirit cards, you lose the game (page 1).

If I capture the opponent’s Master, does the card rotation still happen or is the game over immediately?

The game ends immediately when the opponent’s Master is captured, so no further card rotation or actions occur after that capture (page 1).