Designed by: Nao Shimamura
At time of writing sadly unavailable in the UK, Throne and the Grail is clever game of set-collection (to gain the throne) that can end suddenly if either player collects the three parts of the broken grail to grab an instant win.
The deck of cards are made up of number cards (5 to 8) points cards (blue are plus points, red are minus points) and the three Grail cards. In each round both players are dealt five cards and two more are laid face-up on the table as the start of a communal tableau. Players then take turns taking one of two possible actions – either add a card from their hand to the tableau, OR take the last five cards played to the tableau. If you choose the latter, the cards don’t go into your hand but are kept face-up in front of you as the start of your sets. The catch is that both players may only make such a claim once per round, meaning that having done so any remaining cards will be played to the tableau and become available to your opponent.
If nobody claims the grail, then after three rounds scores are calculated by comparing sets: the player with the most of the 5, 6, 7 and 8 cards scores points matching that set (ie 5, 6, 7 or 8) and ties cancel each other out. But the number cards also score 5 points for a run: one of each number across the board. The points cards simply score their number value, either positive or minus, and most points overall wins.
But the game can end sooner if you or your opponent manage to collect all three grail cards, meaning you ascend to the throne and win the game instantly. This possibility adds a lingering tension to the rounds where you swoop in to grab cards, as your opponent may now play a grail card (or two!) and pick it up.
This is a great lunchtime game for two, and one that deserves a wider Western audience. Agonising decisions, with some brinkmanship and bluffing into the mix.
The game doesn't feel harsh, exactly, but you certainly want to 'poison the well' if you can by dumping minus point cards into the tableau after you've claimed stuff for yourself.
Low.
Moderate - the rules are light but the decisions, at times, are not. There's a vein of mystery to proceedings - where are the grail cards? Does your opponent have them? Do you? Are they still in the deck? You can't be totally certain, but you can try to read your opponents motives by which cards they are playing.
It's a short game, easy to understand, but with variety thanks to how the cards fall.
2-2
Players
8+
Years
15-30
Mins
Sam says
I really like this game; a proper gaming experience in a deck of cards that puts some big-box publications to shame. No, the theme isn't massively present and the artwork doesn't blow me away. But this is a wonderful modern design from Japan (home of the similarly-canny Oink games publisher and other GNG favourites such as Tulip Bubble) where simple rules belie clever tactical opportunities and clever interaction. Without the grail cards this would still be a neat enough design - with them it becomes something of a mini-classic.