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Ocean Crisis
- 2–5 players
- 30–60 min
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- 2019
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Let's Catch the Lion!
2008
Rules assistance for Let's Catch the Lion!
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2 players
- 15 min
- 4+
- Complexity 1.7/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for Let's Catch the Lion!
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Let's Catch the Lion! is a board game released in 2008 for 2 players, 15 minutes per game, and ages 4 and up. It was designed by Madoka Kitao and its main mechanics are Square Grid and Grid Movement.
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About the game
どうぶつしょうぎ - Let's Catch the Lion! (a.k.a. Dōbutsu Shōgi, which means "animal shogi") is a simple version of Shogi. Both players have only four pieces – chick, giraffe, elephant and lion – and they're trying to either catch the opponent's lion or move their own lion to the other side. The board is just 3×4 squares, so the game is rather short, aimed mostly at getting children interested in Shogi – but even if you're an adult, the game is enjoyable. As for how to play: The giraffe moves like a rook, but moves only one space. The elephant moves like a bishop, but moves only one space. (Interestingly, in Xiangqi and Tamerlane Chess, the elephant moves precisely two spaces diagonally.) The chick is directly analogous to the pawn/soldier of Shogi, and is promoted to a full-grown chicken, equivalent to the gold general in Shogi. The lion is analogous to a king, except that he can win essentially by promoting, as long as it doesn't leave him in check. Even on this 3×4 board, you are still able to drop in pieces that you captured from your opponent! Unlike in Shogi, you can drop a chick for mate or have two chicks in a column.
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- Swan Panasia Co., Ltd.
- AURUM, Inc.
- MINDOK
- nestorgames
- Egmont Polska
- Japon Brand
- Magpie (Korean Co)
- Gentosha Education
- LPSA
- pieco design
- Nekomado
- Ginbis
- MARUKAWA CONFECTIONERY CO., LTD.
- EiSystem
- Benesse
- Wanted Games
Questions and answers
Let's Catch the Lion! 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 Let's Catch the Lion! is 15 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 Let's Catch the Lion! for ages 4 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.
Let's Catch the Lion! has a complexity rating of 1.7 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.
Let's Catch the Lion! belongs to these categories: Animals, Children's Game, and Abstract Strategy. Its main mechanics are Square Grid and 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 Let's Catch the Lion! are: Madoka Kitao. 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 Let's Catch the Lion! 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.