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The Red Cathedral
- 1–4 players
- 80 min
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Shinkansen: Zero-Kei
2021
Rules assistance for Shinkansen: Zero-Kei
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 1–4 players
- 60 min
- 12+
- Complexity 2.6/5
For 1 player
Rules assistant for Shinkansen: Zero-Kei
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Shinkansen: Zero-Kei is a board game released in 2021 for 1–4 players, 60 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Isra C. and Shei S. and its main mechanics are Network and Route Building, Victory Points as a Resource, and Action / Event.
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About the game
The Tōkaidō line of the Shinkansen began being built in 1959 with the aim of inaugurating the fastest train of the time, just before the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. In Shinkansen: Zero Kei, players take on the role of its builders. They will take charge of constructing this historic railway line and all its corresponding stations. They can also help the Olympic venues in their preparation for the Games. The player who proves themselves to be the most efficient in their role will be declared the winner. In each round of a game of Shinkansen, you will build your own bullet train, each carriage card you add to your train will provide you with an action or an ability. These actions will mainly allow you to build tracks and stations, collaborate in the preparation of the Olympic venues and obtain new carriage cards. The carriage cards are associated with cities through which the line passes. If you manage to build them in the correct order you will be rewarded in victory points. After five rounds, corresponding to the five-year construction of the line, the player with the most victory points wins. ••• La línea Tōkaidō del shinkansen comenzó a construirse en 1959 con el objetivo de que el tren más veloz del momento estuviese listo para los Juegos Olímpicos de Tokio en 1964. En Shinkansen Zero Key, los jugadores, en el papel de constructores, se encargarán de edificar esta histórica línea férrea, así como las estaciones que la forman. Además, podrán contribuir a que las sedes olímpicas estén listas para los Juegos. El jugador que desempeñe su tarea con mayor eficacia se proclamará vencedor. En cada ronda de una partida a Shinkansen,irás formando tu propio tren bala, cada carta de vagón que añadas a tu tren te proporcionará una acción o una habilidad. Estas acciones te permitirán principalmente, construir vías y estaciones, colaborar en la preparación de las sedes olímpicas y obtener nuevas cartas de vagón Las cartas de vagón, están asociadas a ciudades por las que pasa la línea, si consigues construirlas en el orden correcto obtendrás una recompensa en puntos de victoria. Tras 5 rondas, que corresponden a los 5 años que duró la construcción de la línea. El jugador que haya obtenido más puntos de victoria se proclamará vencedor.
Categories
Publishers
- Conclave Editora
- RollinGames
- Tesla Games
- Ludonova
Questions and answers
Shinkansen: Zero-Kei supports 1–4 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 Shinkansen: Zero-Kei is 60 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 Shinkansen: Zero-Kei 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.
Shinkansen: Zero-Kei has a complexity rating of 2.6 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.
Shinkansen: Zero-Kei belongs to these categories: Trains. Its main mechanics are Network and Route Building, Victory Points as a Resource, and Action / Event. 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 Shinkansen: Zero-Kei are: Isra C. and Shei S.. 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 Shinkansen: Zero-Kei 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.