- BGG rank
- BGG #338
- BGG rating
- 7.3
Hive
- 2 players
- 20 min
- Complexity 2.3/5
- 2001
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- BGG rating
- 6.7
Tatsu
2016
Rules assistance for Tatsu
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2 players
- 30–45 min
- 8+
- Complexity 1.7/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for Tatsu
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Tatsu is a board game released in 2016 for 2 players, 30–45 minutes per game, and ages 8 and up. It was designed by John Yianni and its main mechanics are Take That, Roll / Spin and Move, and Static Capture.
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About the game
Tatsu is a two-player game in which players control three different types of dragon pieces. By rolling two six-sided dice to decide movement and either combining or splitting the values, the pieces travel round the inside circle of the board, only swapping to the outer circle when landing on the same space as another piece, which will affect the piece in the following ways: Vine dragons (green) entangle a player’s dragon. Water dragons (blue) expel a player’s dragon off the board, back to their holding tray. Fire dragons (red) destroy a player’s dragon, removing it entirely from play. Victory is gained when a player manages to destroy all of one type of the opposition's dragons or knocks all the opposition’s dragons off the board so that none remain in play. The Story Japanese legend tells of a great battle between two mighty Dragon Lord armies, locked in combat on the peaks of Mount Hotaka, competing to win the hand of Princess Kushinada, the last and most beautiful of eight sisters. A battle so ferocious, that the villagers fearing for their lives, acquire the help of a powerful Wizard, who casts a spell over the Dragon Lords to keep them imprisoned in a circle of combat and to be freed only at the battle’s end. Their struggle continues to this very day, even though the Princess and their fateful story have long passed into legend.
Categories
Designers
Publishers
- HUCH!
- Gen42 Games
- Smart Zone Games
- Brainteasers
Questions and answers
Tatsu 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 Tatsu is 30–45 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 Tatsu 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.
Tatsu 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.
Tatsu belongs to these categories: Dice and Abstract Strategy. Its main mechanics are Take That, Roll / Spin and Move, and Static Capture. 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 Tatsu are: John Yianni. 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 Tatsu 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.