
- BGG rank
- BGG #5,297
- BGG rating
- 7.2
Tholos
- 2 players
- 15–25 min
- Complexity 1.8/5
- 2021

2024
Rules assistance for Koinobori
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
For 2 players

What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Koinobori is a board game released in 2024 for 2–5 players, 20–40 minutes per game, and ages 8 and up. It was designed by David Bernal and its main mechanics are Hand Management, Area Majority / Influence, and Hidden Victory Points.
Welcome to the fascinating world of Koinobori! Immerse yourself in this experience as you explore the beauty and tradition of colorful Japanese kites. In this game, you'll have the opportunity to design and customize your own koinobori mast and embark on a journey through Japanese culture. Are you ready to elevate your dreams like the koinobori do in the sky? In the game, each player will have their own personal mast, and in the center of the table will be the festival masts, one more than the number of players in the game. There will also be a row of koinobori cards on the table for players to draw from. During a player's turn, they can choose one of these three options: Place a koinobori card on the festival masts: Play a koinobori card on one of the masts. At the end of the game and on each mast, only the color of the koinobori with the most presence on that mast will score points. Place a koinobori card on their personal mast: Play koinobori cards face down on your mast. Each card on your mast will improve your abilities. Be aware that the koinobori you place on your mast will determine your score. Draw koinobori cards: Take a card from the ends of the row of koinobori on the table. Improving your abilities will allow you to draw two cards or not just from the ends. The game ends when the festival masts are completed, and at that point, the scoring phase begins. Within each mast, it is determined which color of koinobori is most repeated, and each player will earn a number of points equal to the multiplication of the number of koinobori on their personal mast by the number of koinobori on the festival mast. The player with the highest score will be the winner. —description from the publisher ¡Bienvenido al fascinante mundo de los koinobori! Sumérgete en esta experiencia mientras exploras la belleza y la tradición de las coloridas cometas japonesas. En este juego, tendrás la oportunidad de diseñar y personalizar tu propio mástil de koinoboris y embarcarte en un viaje por la cultura japonesa, ¿Estás listo para elevar tus sueños como lo hacen los koinobori en el cielo? En el juego, cada jugador tendrá su propio mástil personal y en el centro de la mesa estarán los mástiles del festival, uno más que el número de jugadores en la partida. Sobre la mesa también habrá una fila de cartas de koinobori donde los jugadores podrán ir robando. Durante el turno del jugador/a podrá realizar una de estas tres opciones: Coloca una carta de koinobori en los mástiles del festival: Juega una carta de koinobori en uno de los mástiles, al final de la partida y en cada mástil, puntuará solo el color del koinobori que tenga más presencia en ese mástil. Colocar una carta de koinobori en su mástil: Juega, bocabajo, cartas de koinobori en tu mástil. Cada carta en tu mástil mejorará tus habilidades. Atención porque los koinoboris que coloques en tu mástil determinarán tu puntuación Robar cartas de koinobori: toma una carta de los extremos de la fila de koinoboris sobre la mesa. La mejora de tus habilidades te permitirá tomar dos cartas o tomar cartas no solo de los extremos. La partida terminará cuando los mástiles del festival estén completados y en ese momento se procederá a la fase de puntuación. Dentro de cada mástil se resuelve cuál es el color de koinobori que más se repite y cada jugador ganará un número de puntos igual a la multiplicación del número de koinoboris en su mástil personal por el número de koinoboris en el mástil del festival. El jugador/a con más puntuación al final de la partida será el ganador/a —description from the publisher (Spanish)
Koinobori supports 2–5 players according to the catalogue. This range comes from the publisher’s listed player count, so the game can be set up for any group size within it. Some setups, rules and scoring details may still vary by player count, so check your edition’s rulebook for the exact configuration.
The listed playing time for Koinobori is 20–40 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 Koinobori 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.
Koinobori has a complexity rating of 1.6 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a 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.
Koinobori belongs to these categories: Card Game. Its main mechanics are Hand Management, Area Majority / Influence, and Hidden Victory Points. 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 Koinobori are: David Bernal. 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 Koinobori 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.