Kamisado

About this board game

Kamisado is a two-player strategy game with an approximate 20-minute playing time, offering a contest of pure skill with no dice, cards, or other chance elements.

Each round is a race to move one of your octagonal dragon towers to the opposite side of the board. Towers travel in straight lines, moving either forwards or diagonally forwards, but the color of the space your opponent has just occupied determines which of your towers you must move next.

This color-based movement rule makes every turn both an opportunity and a constraint. Routes that appear open can become blocked by enemy towers—or by your own pieces—forcing you to reassess your plans as the position changes.

• No chance elements: every outcome comes from the players’ decisions.
• Color-driven turns: your opponent’s destination space determines your next tower.
• Blocking and forced movement: occupied routes can limit or prevent your options.
• Sumo promotion: advanced towers can push opposing pieces backwards and earn extra turns.

If a tower cannot move, your opponent moves again immediately, using the tower that matches the color of the space occupied by the stymied piece. As the game develops, these forced sequences and blocked paths create increasingly complex tactical situations.

Towers that reach the required stage are promoted to Sumos, gaining the ability to push opposing towers backwards. These pushes can also earn extra turns, adding another layer to the race and making each advance matter.

Players continue across rounds until one accumulates the required winning total and earns the title of Kamisado Grand Master—at least until the next game. First released in 2008, Kamisado combines direct competition, constrained movement, and evolving tactical challenges in a compact head-to-head experience.