Yokai Sketch^*

Yokai Sketch is a card game for exactly two players, ages 12 and up. Over about 20 minutes you sketch shy forest spirits and compete to collect the most valuable yokai by the end.

What is it about?

Children wander into the forest and meet the yokai, the supernatural creatures of Japanese folklore. Out of curiosity they draw the spirits into their notebooks, and that is the whole game in a nutshell. Two decks meet on the table: the yokai, each tied to an element (water, fire, earth, wind) and a point value, and the sketch cards in your hand.

How it plays

1. Four element piles of yokai start on the table. Each player keeps their sketches hidden in hand.
2. On your turn you draw a fresh sketch, then slide one of your cards under a pile so its element shows.
3. When a yokai gathers the sketches it needs, it goes to whoever placed the most sketches there.

Turn by turn you pull spirits onto your side. Collect the higher-scoring yokai and the win is yours.

Who is it for?

• Couples and steady two-player groups from twelve up.
• Fans of Japanese themes and quiet set collection.
• Players who prefer tactical timing to pure luck.

Conclusion

Yokai Sketch is a beautifully illustrated duel with more depth than its little box suggests. The pull is in the timing: do you commit your sketch now, or hold it one more round? It is no good for larger groups, since it stays firmly two-player. But for a compact head-to-head at the kitchen table, it fits the bill.