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Goro-Goro Dōbutsu Shōgi
2012
Rules assistance for Goro-Goro Dōbutsu Shōgi
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2 players
- 30 min
- 8+
- Complexity 2.0/5
Rules assistant for Goro-Goro Dōbutsu Shōgi
For 2 players
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Goro-Goro Dōbutsu Shōgi is a board game released in 2012 for 2 players, 30 minutes per game, and ages 8 and up. It was designed by Japan Shogi Association and its main mechanics are Grid Movement.
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About the game
A simpler version of Shogi or a more complex version of Let's Catch the Lion! (aka Dōbutsu Shōgi or animal shogi), using the illustrations and look of the latter. Every player has just 8 pieces (3 chicks, 2 cats, 2 dogs and 1 lion) and try to catch the opponents lion. The board is 5x6 squares, so it's a shorter game than regular Shogi, aimed at getting children even more interested in Shogi after they've outgrown the original Dōbutsu Shōgi. Goro-Goro Dobutsu Shogi not only has a bigger board (goro is a contraction of go roku which means five six in Japanese, a reference to the board, as well as goro being onomatopoeic for purring) compared to Dobutsu Shogi, it also adds in some more rules of the full Shogi game: - Reaching the other side of the board with your lion no longer wins you the game. Only capturing your opponent's lion does. - You can't have two of your own chicks in the same column/file. - You can't drop a chick for mate. Each player's promotion zone is the 2 rows farthest from the player. (I.e. 1/3 of the board length, like standard Shogi.) Taken from the publisher's website: The cute animal pieces are now combined with Goro-Goro Shogi, a small shogi on 5x6 square board. This is a very good next step for everyone who has played Dobutsu Shogi. The rules of Goro-Goro Shogi was invented by Japan Shogi Association, and is widely known to be a very good variation of shogi to learn important concepts in shogi, such as handling the generals effectively, importance of promoting a pawn, and mating the opponent's king with successive piece drops. Cats and dogs run and play in this small board. Highly recommended. Please have fun!
Categories
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- Gentosha Education
- Nekomado
Questions and answers
Goro-Goro Dōbutsu Shōgi supports 2 players according to the catalogue. This is the publisher’s listed player count, so the game is designed for exactly that number of participants. Variants for other group sizes, if any, are described in the rulebook of your edition, so check it before setting up a different configuration.
The listed playing time for Goro-Goro Dōbutsu Shōgi is 30 minutes. This is the publisher’s estimate for a full game. The actual duration depends on the group, the player count and familiarity with the rules: first sessions usually run longer, while experienced groups often finish faster. Setup and teaching time are not included in this estimate.
The catalogue lists Goro-Goro Dōbutsu Shōgi for ages 8 and up. This is the publisher’s recommendation and reflects reading demands, rule complexity and small components rather than theme alone. Younger players can often join with help from an adult, so check the age guidance on your edition and consider your group’s experience with board games.
Goro-Goro Dōbutsu Shōgi has a complexity rating of 2.0 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-light game. The rating reflects how much rules knowledge, planning and decision-making a typical game demands. Expect a longer first teach for heavier games, and use a preparation guide before game night.
Goro-Goro Dōbutsu Shōgi belongs to these categories: Animals, Children's Game, and Abstract Strategy. Its main mechanics are Grid Movement. Categories describe the theme and setting of a game, while mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you want something comparable.
The credited designers of Goro-Goro Dōbutsu Shōgi are: Japan Shogi Association. These credits come from the published game data and name the people responsible for the game’s design, not its illustrators or publishers. Designer pages on MeepleRules collect other titles by the same designers, which helps when you enjoy a game and want to find similar ones.
The catalogue lists Goro-Goro Dōbutsu Shōgi as a base game. It can be played on its own with the components in the box and does not require any other title. Expansions, if any exist, add new content or rules on top of it and are listed separately in the catalogue with a link back to this base game.