- BGG rank
- BGG #1,920
- BGG rating
- 7.4
Yokai Septet
2018
Rules assistance for Yokai Septet
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–4 players
- 30–45 min
- 10+
- Complexity 1.9/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for Yokai Septet
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Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Yokai Septet is a board game released in 2018 for 2–4 players, 30–45 minutes per game, and ages 10 and up. It was designed by Muneyuki Yokouchi (横内宗幸) and its main mechanics are Team-Based Game and Trick-taking.
About the game
Story Long time ago in the land of rising sun, spirits and demons known as Yokai were harming human lives. Yokai did not directly attack people, but they were causing supernatural disasters: Yokai caused farmlands to burn, rivers to flood, thunders to roar, and diseases to spread. One day a chieftain of the nearby village visited you, an Onmyoji, a practitioner of Japanese esoteric cosmology. Through your knowledge of astronomy and occultism, you discover the only way to help save the village. It is simple: the more Yokai you manage to capture, the less the menace caused by these demons. After a few months in the village, you are successful in your efforts; the Yokai menace is completely eradicated in that village! Then, word reaches you of the havoc being wrecked by the Yokai on your own village. In your absence, the village chieftain has consulted another Onmyoji to help save your village. This is an affront because this is your village and the people under attack are your people. It is your job to save the day! Do not let another Onmyoji save the day and go down in history as the greatest there ever was and the Savior of your village at the time of need. Compete against your rival Onmyoji and capture as many Yokai as you can! Gameplay Overview In Yokai Septet, your goal is to capture high scoring Boss Yokai by strategically playing cards from your hand. Each turn, players play a card from their hand following the rules of the "trick taking games." After everyone has played a card, the player who played the strongest card matching the lead suit takes all the cards played this turn. A new turn continues until one of the round's end condition is met. At the end of the round, the winner of that round is determined. In a 4-player game, the game is played as a team battle of two players versus two players, whereas in a 3-player game, all players play individually competing. The winner of the round is the team that captured four or more Boss Yokai in a 4-player game, and three or more Boss Yokai in a 3-player game. The winner of the round scores points based on the Boss Yokai they captured. New rounds are played until the game's end condition is met, which can be either 2 points for a basic game, or 7 points for an advanced game. Components 49 cards (7 suits, 7 cards each) 18 scoring tokens 4 player aids 1 lead player card
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- Matagot
- Grail Games
- 4GAMES
- BoardGameMan
- Underdog Games (II)
- Ninja Star Games
Questions and answers
Yokai Septet 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 Yokai Septet 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 Yokai Septet for ages 10 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.
Yokai Septet has a complexity rating of 1.9 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.
Yokai Septet belongs to these categories: Card Game, Fantasy, and Mythology. Its main mechanics are Team-Based Game and Trick-taking. 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 Yokai Septet are: Muneyuki Yokouchi (横内宗幸). 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 Yokai Septet 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.