- BGG rank
- BGG #12,379
- BGG rating
- 7.4
Iro
- 2 players
- 10–30 min
- Complexity 1.3/5
- 2022
- BGG rank
- BGG #18,230
- BGG rating
- 7.2
Sayū
2022
Rules assistance for Sayū
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2 players
- 15–45 min
- 8+
- Complexity 2.0/5
Rules assistant for Sayū
For 2 players
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Sayū is a board game released in 2022 for 2 players, 15–45 minutes per game, and ages 8 and up. It was designed by Khanat Sadomwattana and its main mechanics are Tile Placement, Square Grid, and Chaining.
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About the game
Sayū is an abstract strategy tile-laying, tile-flipping for two players. It is played with 49 unique two-sided octagonal wooden tiles and uses no board. The objective of the game is to have more tile of your color face up when all the tiles are placed. To setup the game place the home tile at the center of the table. This tile has no arrows. From now on no tiles can be placed further than 3 spaces away from this tile (this creates a 7 by 7 grid when finished). Players then take alternate turns. On your turn you must choose a tile that is still available and place it on an empty space - up, down, left or right of a tile already placed. You must place it in any of the 8 possible orientations you wish. The orientation of a tile is indicated by the white arrow in the middle. Once a tile is placed, check whether it can convert an opponent's tile over to your side - to do so you must fulfill three conditions; 1) your tile must have your color arrow pointing toward your opponent's tile 2) the target opponent tile must not have their color arrow pointing back 3) the two tiles must not share the same orientation If multiple tiles can be converted at the same time you may only choose one. The converted tile is flipped over to your side and rotated to the same orientation as one that converted it. You then treat that tile as though it just been placed and check if another conversion can be made. Repeat this process until no further conversion is possible. Now it is your opponent's turn. Players will take turn placing and converting tiles back and forth in this manner until all the tiles are placed and the game is over. Count up the total number of tiles for each player; whoever has the most of their color facing up is the winner.
Categories
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- (Self-Published)
Questions and answers
Sayū 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 Sayū is 15–45 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 Sayū 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.
Sayū 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.
Sayū belongs to these categories: Children's Game and Abstract Strategy. Its main mechanics are Tile Placement, Square Grid, and Chaining. 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 Sayū are: Khanat Sadomwattana. 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 Sayū 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.