- BGG rating
- 7.9
Railways of Portugal
- 2–4 players
- 90–120 min
- Complexity 2.5/5
- 2019
- BGG rank
- BGG #3,942
- BGG rating
- 7.6
Railways of Nippon
2018
Rules assistance for Railways of Nippon
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–4 players
- 90–120 min
- 12+
- Complexity 2.3/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for Railways of Nippon
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Railways of Nippon is a board game released in 2018 for 2–4 players, 90–120 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Glenn Drover, Martin Wallace, and Hisashi Hayashi and its main mechanics are Auction / Bidding, Network and Route Building, and Pick-up and Deliver.
Expansions
- BGG rating
- 7.8
Railways of Australia
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- 60–120 min
- Complexity 3.0/5
- 2022
- BGG rating
- 7.7
Railways of Sweden
- 2–5 players
- 90–120 min
- Complexity 2.7/5
- 2022
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About the game
Description from the publisher: Railways of Nippon is a self-contained 2-4 player version of (but not a re-implementation because it also integrates with) Railways of the World with a new map of Japan designed by the Japanese game designer Hisashi Hayashi. The game takes place during Japan's rapid industrial growth during the Meiji era, where you take the role of one of the entrepreneurial railroad baron of that time. You plan and lay track, upgrade your trains, sell goods to distant cities, and use operation cards to become the richest railroad baron of Japan! Balance your budget wisely, since taking too many bank bonds can ruin your business over the course of the game. Also, watch the competition closely because you can only use the track that you laid down personally to trade. Since the island of Japan is mountainous and narrow, there is often not enough space for everyone to lay their track where they want. Foreseeing your competitors moves and well thought out moves will ensure you an undisputed railroad empire! It was also released as an expansion that required components from the base game: Railways of the World: Nippon Expansion.
Categories
Publishers
- Eagle-Gryphon Games
Questions and answers
Railways of 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 Railways of Nippon is 90–120 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 Railways of 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.
Railways of Nippon has a complexity rating of 2.3 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.
Railways of Nippon belongs to these categories: Trains. Its main mechanics are Auction / Bidding, Network and Route Building, and Pick-up and Deliver. 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 Railways of Nippon are: Glenn Drover, Martin Wallace, and Hisashi Hayashi. 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 Railways of 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.