River of Gold^*

River of Gold is a mid-weight Eurogame in which you play river merchants in feudal Japan competing for wealth, glory, and wisdom. Along a busy river you ally with legendary samurai clans and try to exploit the trade route for yourself. Despite real strategic depth, play stays brisk and runs about an hour.

For 2-4 players ages 14+, around 60-90 minutes, best with three. You decide whether to develop ports, markets, and shrines along the banks or instead sail the river and gain influence through delivery contracts and visits to the nobility. Mechanically it blends area majority, open drafting, multi-use cards, and set collection. The rules are intuitive and quick to learn - a good fit for Eurogame fans wanting an elegant, mid-weight game with minimal downtime.