Number 7: Hanamikoji, designed by Kota Nakayama, with art by @maisherlyart and published by @emperors4games. Continuing my top 25 games I’ve played this year is one of the most beautiful card games I’ve ever seen! 👘🏮🎏 Hanamikoji is a 2-player card game in which each player is trying to gain the favour of the 7 Geisha by giving them gifts. There are four different actions each player can perform once each round: 🏮 Keep one card hidden face down until the end of the round 🎏 Discard two cards 👘 Choose 3 cards, your opponent takes one and places it in front of the matching Geisha and you take the other 2 🏮Choose 4 cards and split them into 2 pairs, with your opponent choosing a pair and placing them in front of the matching Geisha and you taking the other 2 🎏👘🏮 These four simple actions become agonising choices as it becomes increasingly clear that you simply can’t do everything you want to. The ‘I split, you choose’ mechanic forms the basis of these difficult decisions, and is a cleverly implemented tool for pushing the game forward. Since each player is aiming for majority control across all of the Geisha, giving away cards becomes a case of bluffing and tricking your opponent based on the available cards in your hand. 👘🎏🏮 Since the game usually only runs for one or two rounds, each player only has 4 or 8 actions over the whole game, so every choice really counts in this game! 🎏🏮👘 Hanamikoji is one of the cleverest games I’ve played in the last year, managing to fit a lot of decision making into both a short play time and small package. The beautiful presentation certainly doesn’t hurt, but the mechanisms and quick game play really make this one shine. A well deserved number 7! #hanamikoji #emperors4 #boardgame #boardgames #boardgamegeek #boardgamenight #bgg #boardgamer #boardgaming #gamer #gaming #game #games #tabletop #tabletopgame #tabletopgames #cardgame #cardgames #hobby #mytop25games #boardgamesofinstagram https://www.instagram.com/p/Brkrz9TjtzW/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=g8fdfqzqoiph