How to Play

Samurai

2-4 players 30-60 min 7.5 Board Game Geek Rating

In medieval Japan, players deploy hexagonal tiles to influence three factions: samurai, peasants, and priests represented by scattered tokens. Tiles grant faction-specific or universal influence, allowing quick strikes or methodical approaches. When tokens become surrounded, the most influential player claims them. Victory requires achieving majorities across the three faction types when endgame triggers.

Published 1998

Get Ready

Setup the game with these step-by-step instructions before diving into your turn.

Build the game board based on the number of players (2, 3, or 4 players use different board configurations)

Place 3 leader tokens near the board arranged in a circle (used for end-game scoring)

Prepare resources based on player count

Each player selects a color and takes 20 tiles and a player screen of that color

Each player secretly selects 5 tiles to form their starting hand, placed behind their screen

Each player shuffles their remaining 15 tiles face-down to form a draw pile

Place one Buddha, one rice, and one helmet piece on the Edo space

Starting with the youngest player and going clockwise, players take turns placing one tribe piece on city spaces (max 2 pieces per city, no duplicates of same type)

Continue placing pieces on village spaces (max 1 piece per village) until all spaces are populated