- BGG rating
- 7.8
Nippon: Keiretsu
- 2–4 players
- 60–120 min
- Complexity 3.7/5
- 2018
- BGG rank
- BGG #566
- BGG rating
- 7.6
Nippon
2015
Rules assistance for Nippon
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–4 players
- 60–120 min
- 12+
- Complexity 3.8/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for Nippon
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Nippon is a board game released in 2015 for 2–4 players, 60–120 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Paulo Soledade and Nuno Bizarro Sentieiro and its main mechanics are Area Majority / Influence and Variable Phase Order.
Expansions
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About the game
Japan during the Meiji period—a closed, isolated, and feudal country—decides to change into a modern industrialized state. The Empire sends emissaries to foreign nations, brings technicians and scholars from the west, builds a network of railroads, and achieves an outstandingly fast industrial revolution. The nation and Emperor count on the support of the Great Four, the big conglomerates that emerge with great power and massive control over the Japanese economy. They are called Zaibatsu, and their influence on the Meiji Emperor and importance on the fate of Japan is incredibly high. Nippon is an Area Majority Game in which players control Zaibatsu and try to develop their web of power by investing in new industries, improving their technological knowledge, shipping goods to foreign countries or using them to satisfy local needs, and growing their influence and power as they oversee the era of rapid industrialization of Japan. The foundations of the big Zaibatsu were the traditional silk workshops, but soon the conglomerates diversified their influence and power, building a complex structure of interconnected companies that made them giant players in the world’s new industrial era. Each player takes the reins of one of these big corporations and tries to develop it in order to grow and achieve power. To win the game, players must carefully choose which types of industry to invest in to get the most influence over the Japanese islands. Every action that is taken helps to forge their own path to new opportunities. Nippon is a fast-paced economic game with challenging decisions, set during an important time in Japanese history, and when a new great nation is born.
Categories
Designers
Publishers
- asmodee
- Ghenos Games
- hobbity.eu
- What's Your Game?
Questions and answers
Nippon supports 2–4 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 Nippon is 60–120 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 Nippon for ages 12 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.
Nippon has a complexity rating of 3.8 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a heavy 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.
Nippon belongs to these categories: Economic and Industry / Manufacturing. Its main mechanics are Area Majority / Influence and Variable Phase Order. 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 Nippon are: Paulo Soledade and Nuno Bizarro Sentieiro. 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 Nippon 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.