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Chang Cheng |
by Walter Obert for Tenkigames, 2007
for 2-4 players
About the building of the first version of China's great wall
(historically, more a joining of existing walls than an entirely
new construction).
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China |
by Michael Schacht for Abacus / Überplay, 2005
for 3-5 players
Essentially a tile placement game where placement is based
on cards in hand. Cards are replenished via a limited
drafting mechanism. There are three strategies to pursue: long connected
strings, counsellors in connected capitals
and dominance of various countries.
Originally called Kardinal & König / Web of Power.
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China Dragon |
by Piatnik & Söhne, 1989
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China Moon |
by Bruno Faidutti for Eurogames, 2003
for 2-5 players
A tactical racing game based on a fairy tale about a mandarin duck and several
frogs set in China. Originally published as
Flower of the Lotus
and also known as
Lotusblume.
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Chinesische Mauer, Die |
by Sid Sackson for Piatnik & Söhne, 1994
for 2-4 players
A tile-laying game about "The Wall of China".
Large cardboard tiles exhibit
criss-crossing paths in different colors. Players take turns choosing and
placing any available tile with the twin goals of extending the length
of one's own path and having the paths reach all four sides of the eventual
total structure. What's especially tricky is that the
exact locations of the corners aren't generally known until play is nearly over.
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Dampfross |
There is a map of China for this popular railroading game.
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Dschunke |
by Michael Schacht for Queen, 2002
"Junks" is essentially an auction game with a few extra wrinkles.
Best and most innovative of them is the mechanism of layering
three part strips representing crates. These are placed in groups
of three with each succeeding layer being laid crosswise. Each
player's influence on the containing junk depends on the number
of crates he has showing. So interesting is this unique mechanism
that one comes to regret that it does not play a larger role.
Instead, playing the starring role is the dreaded "blind auction
with possibility of no return". In other words, bids are sealed,
simultaneously revealed and all must pay, even if coming in
second place and receiving nothing. What will it take to make this
mechanism disappear from games forever? It really does nothing but
defeat skillful play. Can it be consigned to games for children,
please? Another unwelcome element is that of memory as players
must dive into one of five decks of special cards à la
The Settlers of
Catan Card Game. The game slowdown that occurs while
this happens is not as bad here, but there is enough card text
that it may cause problems for non-German readers. The other
main activity is choosing to execute special functions with
the three different merchants on the five different junks, an
interesting process which requires considerable lookahead and
defense against the activities of others, especially the player
to the left. Thematically, the economic model is a very strange
one, suggesting that products such as spice, rice and fish are
more fungible than money as the market presents a fixed price
and the player who bids the most product is the only one who
gets paid. Actually, money is never spent, only being employed
as a scoring mechanism. A good idea makes holdings public at two
strategic points of the game. The design does not feel "tight" –
in fact, the phases in a round could probably be re-sequenced in
any order without substantially affecting play – whether this
is a failing or sheer brilliance I can't quite make out. The
overall result is something of a mishmash of good and not so
good features. The designer has succeeded better with
previous outings
Web of Power
and
Kontor
than in this, his first large game published by Queen.
It will probably be less to the taste of sophisticated players, but
may be appreciated by those less demanding, if the language issues
can be surmounted.
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5,000 Years of Chinese History |
(published in Taiwan, Republic of China)
Basically a variant of Monopoly in which players attempt to
collect various properties and not go bankrupt from paying rents.
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Flower of the Lotus |
by Bruno Faidutti for The Game Cabinet, 1996
Downloadable Game (Game Cabinet)
Later published in physical form as
China Moon.
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Formula Dé: Grand Prix China / Malaysia |
by Eurogames/Descartes, 2000
This expansion kit for basic version of this auto racing game
depicts a track in Zhuhai, China.
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Gang of Four |
by
Days of Wonder,
2002
3-4 players
Card game that seems to be quite closely related to the Chinese game
Zheng Fen.
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Great Wall of China |
invented by Reiner Knizia for
Kosmos, 2006
2-5 players
Card game in which players are building the Great Wall.
Each has a hand of seven wall cards, three gate cards and one
watchtower card plus nine special cards.
Cards are shuffled and five drawn.
Some card rows are created. On a turn
players can either draw another card or add an identical card
to a card row.
When a player begins a turn with a majority he may place a prestige
tile which weakens him, but when claimed by another player both
score.
The special cards add one-off advantages/restrictions.
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Great Walls |
by
Microcosm Games,
2002
2-4 players
Players compete to build the largest wall in Ancient China.
Choosing from a hand of possible structures, players take
turns adding sections to their walls, forming
barriers to surround territory and gain military might.
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Hong Kong |
by Piatnik & Söhne, 1999
Two-player abstract game of perfect information by Reiner Knizia
is about the building of skyscrapers in Hong Kong, thinly. Actually
it's more a matter of who can build up faster and higher and thus cap
his opponent's buildings. Or try the strategy of trying to cover
territory. This strategic dilemma makes things interesting while the
double move pieces afford difficult tactical decisions. Thus
should appeal even to those who are not normally fans of abstracts.
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Huang Di |
invented by Bryan Johnson
for JKLM Games, 2008
2-6 players
Players represent master builders working on the Great Wall of
China for the Huang Di, the first emperor of China.
Each player has an identical set of cards to perform functions such
as hiring workers, getting treasury grants and building.
The goal is to have the majority of blocks at each level and/or to
perform favors for the emperor.
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I Ching |
by Hexagames / TST-Enterprises, 1987
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Im Jahr des Drachen |
by Stefan Feld for Alea, 2007
Set in the year of the dragon around AD 1000.
Each player represents a sovereign trying to protect himself
from various catastrophes, including the Mongols.
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James Clavell's Noble House |
by L. Ross Babcock III for FASA, 1981
From the novel
Noble House,
set in Hong Kong's 1960's business world.
[Review] (this site)
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James Clavell's Tai-Pan |
by FASA
From the novel
Tai-Pan. From the novel of the same name, 1840's
trading in Canton, Hong Kong, India and Europe. Players sail
clipper ships from England to India where they buy up opium,
from India to China where they sell the opium and pick up silk,
tea and spices and then race back to England. Each clipper
sailing is a race in which greater profits are realized for
coming first, and realized in ways that are very sensible for the
theme. Arriving in England first means one gets to sell at the
highest price and then lower the prices of whatever was sold for
the next clipper. But clipper speed is dependent on card play,
cards which also affect prices, the faster the card, the more
it lowers prices. A very nice tradeoff. Another tradeoff is
deciding to skip buying opium and sailing to China directly in
order to be the first to buy there. In China, it is not simply
a mechanical matter, but instead one actually
directs three small lorcha boats to the various Chinese ports to discover
what commodities are available and at what prices. There is also a wares
auction at Canton (later Hong Kong). A large number of flavorful event cards
also make things interesting, although some may complain
that there is too much luck in the "take that" cards.
Definitely the best entry in the James Clavell series.
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Kathai |
by Michael Andersch for
Adlung Spiele,
2000
3-5 players age 10 and up
Multi-player card game is about trading commodities in old Cathay,
collecting and trading cards and deciding the best time to turn
them in for points. Offers at least two possible strategies, one of
achieving a large, valuable collection, the other of turning in several
smaller collections, but rather quickly. Of course which one to use
greatly depends on what the other players are doing. Definitely worthwhile
for just about all players.
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Lao Pengh |
invented by Patrick Inauen (graphics by Jürgen Martens) for
Adlung Spiele,
1999
Card game of placing Cranes and Dragons in 3 piles.
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Lotus |
invented by Dominique Tellier for
Ravensburger Spieleverlag GmbH, 1998
Simple racing abstract for up to four features stacked checkers which travel
a number of spaces equal to the height at which they are stacked. The Lotus
space adds the twist of being a space where no checker may stop,
but must instead trampoline forward a number of spaces equal to those already
moved.
Although sometimes it seems a good game to for a computer to play to perfection,
features a very accessible system and plenty of scope for tactical and strategic
planning.
The two-player
game appears quite balanced while with more than that it is perhaps better to
be the last player than the first.
Each space features a different Chinese
character which translated from end to start mean "Army", "Middle", "Light",
"No", "Go", "Agile", "Lotus", "Car", "Go", "Big Tool", "House". From here,
if one regards the board with "House" toward the bottom,
the spaces on the left are "Truth", "Sky" and "Straight" while those on the
right are "First", "Move" and "Black".
In Ravensburger's Chinese edition, the title means something like
"Chain Reaction Flying Dragon".
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Lotusblume |
by Bruno Faidutti for Eurogames, 2003
for 2-5 players
A tactical racing game based on a fairy tale about a mandarin duck and several
frogs set in China. Originally published as
Flower of the Lotus
and also known as
China Moon.
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Macao |
by Ravensburger Spieleverlag GmbH, 1982
Apparently a dice game.
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Mandarin |
invented by Jean du Poël for Historien Spielegalerie, 1995
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Mandarin |
invented by Tom Kremer for Mattel, 1991
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Marco Polo |
invented by Tom Kremer for Schmidt, 1983
For 2-4 players.
The mapboard depicts ancient Asia and its cities,
connected by roads and water routes. There are also
6 areas for the 6 colored card decks (4 types of
commercial cards (56 in all), 1 of golden pass (4) and 1 of secret cards (4)).
Each player symbolizes a trader, who travels to a certain city,
trades and then returns home with wealth.
At the beginning each player receives starting capital and
a play figure. One uses the spinner to see how far one can move, either
by land or sea. Trade is permitted in certain cities where one can buy
or sell cards of certain colors. Cards are purchased for 20g and sold for
whatever price is printed on the card. Some of the cards however are
actually events which must be played immediately. Sold and event cards
are eventually shuffled back in to their respective decks.
If a player reaches a city where another player is, he may give the other
30g and take a card. Once a player has 3 cards of value 80, the trader
may visit the Khan and receive a golden pass, which provides protection
against pirates and bandits, which are usually encountered via the spinner
and resolved via dice. Losing traders must discard a card to the pirate
area or pay 50g. A victory gains however all the cards on the pirate area.
A golden pass card also lists a place, which, if the trader goes there, he
receives a Secret of the Orient card which is worth 240g. The game ends
when the first player reaches the number of gulden needed to win (which is
dependent on the number of players) and returns to Venice.
The game seems to have a rather prosaic endgame since once one acquires
the golden pass, victory becomes almost certain.
[rules]
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Marco Polo Reisespiele |
invented by Wolfgang Riedesser for Schmidt, 1996
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Ming |
by Jürgen Reiche for Siebenstein Spiele
For 2 players
Abstract.
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Ming-Dynastie |
by Robert F. Watson, unpublished
Region-influence game in which players try to gain the most
influence with the founding emperor of the Ming Dynasty.
[Description] (Brett & Board: Svellov)
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The Mysteries of Peking |
by Milton Bradley, 1988, 2002
A logical deduction game.
Also published in German as Die Peking Akte.
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Pagode |
by Valentin Siena for FX-Schmid
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Passage to Cathay |
by Eric Olson for Ragnarok Enterprises, 1984
2-6 players
Trade in the Indian Ocean, 1680-1830. 2-5 hours
Later re-released as Passage to Cathay Deluxe.
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Peking Akte, Die |
by Milton Bradley, 1987
by Parker-Spiele, 2002
Literally, "The Peking File", also published in English as
The Mysteries of Peking.
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Playing Cards - Chinese Costumes |
by Heraclio
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Qin |
invented by Reiner Knizia for Queen, planned for 2000, but still not released
For 2-4 players
About building walls in ancient times.
Graphic design by Franz Vohwinkel.
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Romance of the Three Kingdoms |
(published in Taiwan, Republic of China)
Roll-and-move game with almost no decisionmaking.
Published in Taiwan, Republic of China.
[Rules] (this site)
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Seidenstraße, Die |
invented by Hartmuth Kommerell for Schmidt, 1997
2-7 players
The game is about Marco Polo's return from his
expedition to faraway China on the Seidenstraße (Silk Road).
This is a trading and racing game, but victory is to the player
who has the most silver at the end. Players interact via
cardplay, in every turn counterbalancing own
interests with those of rivals. For example, an early Market Day may only
give you a few coins, but it might make your visits to the next Trading
Posts very profitable.
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Shanghai |
by Sid Sackson for
Ravensburger Spieleverlag GmbH, 1997
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Shanghai Trader |
by Panther
The corruption in Shanghai's International Bund during the early part of the
20th century. Players represent a national side, one of Americans, British,
French, Germans, Russians or Japanese. Players attempt to dominate different
areas of the city which gives special moneyraising powers, including the
ability to extort money from other players. Often players are required
to practically ruin other players with amazingly high cash demands. It
is not surprising that the game often turns into a bitter shouting match.
In addition, not only do players need to make the most money, they must
get out to the airport and hope they can roll well enough to escape alive,
an endeavor that needs a fair amount of luck. Each side has special powers,
but if playing with more than three, these should be omitted since they are
not balanced.
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Shendao |
Valéry Fourcade for La Mèche Rebelle Editions, 2002
for 2 players
Tile-laying abstract with the theme of Shendao,
the way of the spirit, based on a Chinese god and goddess.
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Siedler von Catan, Die: Historische Szenarien |
by Klaus Teuber for
Kosmos,
2001
3-6 players
One of scenarios in this game is named "Die Große Mauer" which
translated is "The Great Wall".
"The Great Wall" casts each player as a guardian of a segment
of the wall, trying to prevent the raids of steppe nomads. Because nomads
inevitably seem to cross the wall somewhere, placing the other settlements
far away from it seems a good idea. Interesting dilemma about whether to
deliberately let them in just so that they deprive opponents of production.
There is a lot
of ore available on the fixed map, making the development card strategy look
attractive, but this can be a trap because the value of the largest
army award has been cut down to just one victory point and three victory
point cards have been removed. One problem is that without the robber
-- the pirate only affects players with ports – it
becomes a little too difficult to haul back a leader.
[Rules] (this site)
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Silk Road |
by L. or R. Edwards for Tsukuda Hobby, 1985
2-8 players
This multi-player game of trade on the Silk Road has a
game-map which covers the entirety of Asia from Italy to Japan.
Each player buys goods at one location and sells them at a
different location. The game is now out of print.
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Snap |
by Gamewright, 2002
1-4 players aged 5 and up
Tile-laying game is not without interest for
adults. Depicted on the tiles are Chinese-style dragons, long and curly,
in varying colors. Players must match up like colors and snap dragons together
like puzzle pieces. The goal is to complete as long a dragon as possible to
maximize points. Of course it won't hurt to prevent opponents from doing same.
Each player has a
hand size of three so there is a decent amount of planning. Further interest is
added by the fact that while dragon heads are common, tails are relatively rare,
concentrating interest on how these tiles are positioned. On top of this, there
are three tiger tiles which confer even more points. (In Chinese lore the
dragon and the tiger are the mythic creatures of east and west respectively.)
One particular play of interest revolves around the tiles
which have the same color emerging twice, which come in pairs. When combined they
emerge a good number of points, so a player who holds one might like to watch
carefully for the other to appear. Opponents who notice it appearing might like
to void this possibility by defensively playing some other tile on it first.
Tiles are nicely illustrated and made from fairly nice cardboard.
While one might like the interesting longer dragons to arise more often,
can make for a colorful and absorbing twenty minutes.
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Somewhere in China |
by Jim Deacove for Family Pastimes, 2004
2-5 players
Players operate fishing boats attempting to satisfy particular consumer demands, but the good
fishing grounds are hard to find and sometimes dangerously far out. Choose your gear, bait and
amount of fuel carefully and watch out for hull leaks, sharks and storms.
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Ta Yü |
by
Kosmos and
Rio Grande Games,
1999
Abstract tile-layer and connectivity game of river construction.
Ta Yü is the legendary Chinese hero who saved the Realm of the Middle Kingdom from
a flood by creating a multitude of rivers to divert the torrent to a distant sea.
A pricey package, but the very high quality components are suitable for museum
display, or your coffee table when guests come over.
Quite enjoyable for those who find fun in something like
Streetcar
and makes a very nice outing for competing couples.
The rules are few and not difficult, so it can even work well for your non-gameplaying
friends. Seems to work best with the "save one tile" variant and
in four-player mode where half the fun is figuring out what your partner is doing.
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Verbotene Stadt, Die |
by Ravensburger, 1992
"The Forbidden City"
[Rules]
(Game Cabinet)
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