Kōhaku
- Players
- 1-4
- Best withThe player count this game plays best at.
- 2 players
- Play timeHow long a full game runs once everyone knows the rules.
- 45 min
- AgeThe minimum age printed by the publisher.
- 10+
- ComplexityHow demanding the rules are, from 1 (very light) to 5 (very heavy).
- 1.7 / 5
- Year
- 2020
About the game
Kōhaku is a peaceful, koi-pond-building tile game where players draft Koi and Feature tiles each turn to grow their own personal pond. Points come from surrounding flowers with matching-colored koi, placing frogs near dragonflies, sheltering baby koi near rocks, and lining up butterflies with the right koi in view. With no fixed shape for your pond, every game produces a unique layout, and once a tile is placed it's locked in, adding a satisfying weight to each decision.
Hobbli's Notes
A lovely, understated drafting game with a genuinely relaxing theme and surprisingly meaty scoring puzzle underneath. The freeform pond shape gives it more replayability than its simple presentation suggests, and it plays beautifully solo or with the family.
What we like
- Relaxing koi-pond theme with beautiful components.
- Flexible drafting puzzle with real strategic depth.
- Works equally well solo or with a group.
- Low downtime keeps turns moving quickly.
Keep in mind
- Scoring interactions can be tricky for younger players.
- Limited direct player interaction.
- Tile availability can feel swingy from game to game.
Who it's for
Well suited to families and casual strategy fans aged 6 and up, playing solo or in groups of up to four.
