Yokohama Duel Review

Originally released in 2018, Yokohama Duel was itself a revamped 2-player version of the game Yokohama. The premise of each game is exactly the same: set at the beginning of the Meiji era, players take on the role of merchants battling for control of resources and technologies in order to dominate the market. This latest edition retains that same exact premise, but does come with its own notable changes, such as new artwork, revised rules, and an alternative board design for a smoother gameplay experience.

Product: Yokohama Duel

Designer: Hisashi Hayashi

Publisher: Synapses Games, Luma Imports

Price: $29.99

Age: 12+

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Yokohama Duel is a competitive game, just as the name implies. There are no ways or means to cooperate with the other player, so no need to take it easy on your opponent. The aim is to manage your resources and plan your card placement for most effective returns. Although there is no direct action you take against opponents, you’ll need to be ruthless in your consolidation of resources if you want to win.

While the basic flow of the game is quite simple, the large amount of options and actions you can perform does offer room for strategy, though this again comes down to where you place your cards. A single game consists of four rounds, with players taking alternating turns in each round. With 11 different ways to earn victory points, players will need to plan carefully to reach the end of the game with the highest number of points in order to claim victory.

For players already familiar with the original release, the updated edition’s changes are a marked improvement. The updated artwork has an almost watercolor look to it that really pops, and the revised board layout is much less visually busy. All of the iconography on the board is clear, and the tokens are sufficiently distinct from one another, so you can understand what you’re looking at from a simple glance. It just has a more streamlined feel when compared to its 2018 counterpart.

Players start with 4 power cards (numbered 1-4) and resources. On their turn, players place the card with the lowest power in hand onto a location, with the rewards of that placement determined by the card’s power and associated spoils indicated on the board. You also have the option of using an extra power card to make the move stronger. If a played card has 4 or more power, the player has the option to use coins to build a shop or trading house, which grants victory points at the end of the game.

The artwork is beautiful, though the board and tokens are pretty standard cardboard stock.

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Some notable actions you can take to gain points include: praying at the temple for points, using resources to complete contracts, or building structures. Buying cards can provide ongoing bonuses or may award points at the conclusion of the four rounds, but investing too heavily may leave you weaker in other areas, unable to accrue enough points for a win. 

A major strength of Yokohama Duel is the variability in turn-by-turn strategy available to the player. While having some moves planned out ahead of time is certainly useful, you’ll often find your plans foiled by your opponent’s placement of their cards, forcing you to adjust on-the-fly. Given the relatively tight amount of moves each player gets during the course of the game, finding that equilibrium between the various options is crucial for success.

Of course, this demands efficient use of your resources to achieve. Amassing resources comes naturally, but it is up to you to ensure they are spent appropriately through building and contract completion. Any resource left unused at the end of the game is a missed opportunity for points.

Overall, I think Yokohama Duel offers a strong, strategic 2-player experience, presenting large amounts of variability in game-by-game strategies and outcomes. The game is not the most elaborate in its genre, but it does come in at only an estimated 45 minutes per game. I do think that estimate is very far into the high-end of expected playtime once you have a few games under your belt, seeing as your planning and placement will drastically improve the more familiar you become with the game. Rules are easy enough for beginners to get the hang of quickly, and the variety of scoring methods means there is always room for experimentation and improvisation. Fully recommended from me.

Disclaimer: We received a free copy of this game from the publisher.