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Tokyo is in trouble. Sirens scream across the skyline, buildings tremble, and somewhere, a giant claw smashes through a train station. This is not a time for subtlety. In King of Tokyo: Origins, you’re not watching the chaos unfold. You are the chaos. Hulking monsters, alien oddballs, and oversized robots all fighting to become the one and only King of Tokyo. If that sounds ridiculous, good. That’s the point.
This newest version of King of Tokyo: Origins gives the original formula a bit of a refresh. Not a full-on reboot, but more of a clean shave, a splash of colour, and some snappy new trousers. Whether you’re brand new to the game or wondering if you need this version alongside your battered old copy, here’s how it played for us and what we think.
👥 2-4 players, ages 8+
⌛ Playing time: 30 minutes
📝 Designer: Richard Garfield
🎨 Artwork: Régis Torres
🏢 Publisher: IELLO Games (review copy provided)
Gameplay Overview
If you’ve ever wanted to smash a city while laughing with your friends and shouting at dice, you’re halfway there already. In King of Tokyo: Origins, each player becomes a monster trying to take over Tokyo. You either win by being the first to hit 20 victory points or by eliminating all your opponents. Sounds simple enough, and it is, but there’s just enough going on under the hood to keep it interesting.
On your turn, you roll six custom dice up to three times. After each roll, you can keep whichever dice you like and re-roll the rest. Once you’re happy (or out of rolls), you apply what you’ve got. The symbols on the dice let you gain points, generate energy, heal up, or attack your rivals. The attack part is where it gets spicy. If you’re inside Tokyo, you hit everyone outside. If you’re outside, you aim all your damage at the monster currently in Tokyo. No hiding behind buildings here.
Now, the Tokyo part. If no one is currently in the city, you have to move in. That gets you a point right away, and if you start your next turn still in Tokyo, you get two more. Tempting, but it comes at a cost. You can’t heal while you’re in there, and every player will be throwing punches your way. When you’re in Tokyo, you become a target. If you take a beating, you can choose to yield and leave the city, letting the monster who just smacked you take your place.
After the dice chaos, you can spend energy cubes on power cards. These give you all kinds of bonuses, upgrades, or silly powers. Some are permanent and stick with you, others are one-time effects. If nothing on the table suits your monstrous taste, you can pay to refresh the whole selection and pick from a new batch.
Play continues clockwise, with turns moving quickly and often ending in laughter, mock growls, or exaggerated death scenes (at least at our table). The game ends the moment someone hits 20 points or everyone else is KO’d.
What’s Different in King of Tokyo: Origins
If you know the original King of Tokyo, you’ll slip into King of Tokyo: Origins without any fuss. The gameplay is basically unchanged. You’re still chucking dice, buying power cards, and trying to outlast the others in a giant kaiju battle. So what’s actually new?
Well, the first thing you’ll notice is that everything just looks sharper. The rulebook has been rewritten to be easier to follow, especially if you’re introducing the game to younger players or people who don’t play many board games. The artwork has been fully redone too. It’s colourful, playful, and a bit more modern without losing the fun vibe of the original.
There are 50 power cards in the box, including a mix of new effects and cleaned-up versions of old ones. Everything is easier to read at a glance. You can use this deck on its own or mix it with cards from other editions if you like a bit more variety.
To be clear, there aren’t any new mechanics here. It’s the same game with smoother edges. If you were hoping for a brand-new twist, this might not be it. But as an entry point, it’s probably the easiest and most polished version of King of Tokyo so far.
Visuals and Components
Let’s talk table presence. King of Tokyo: Origins looks great laid out in front of you. The monster standees are thick and colourful, and the character boards now come with built-in dials for health and points. It’s a small thing, but it makes a difference.
The dice are bright green with chunky yellow icons. Easy to read and satisfying to roll, especially when you’re going all-in on claws. The power cards have clear effects, bold energy costs, and fun art that adds a bit of personality to the chaos. The energy cubes are neon green and feel nice in the hand, and the Tokyo board is sleek, compact, and easy to follow.
Nothing here feels overproduced, but everything feels right. It’s playful without being childish, and it supports the gameplay in all the right ways.
Our Experience
From the first roll, King of Tokyo: Origins gave us what we came for: fast turns, big swings, and plenty of table talk. It hit the sweet spot where kids could play it confidently, but adults were still having fun and throwing shade at each other.
We played it across several player counts, and it worked best with three or four. That’s when the push and pull for Tokyo really heats up. With two, the game becomes more of a straightforward duel. Still fun, but it loses a bit of the madness that makes it so entertaining.
The power cards added nice variety without bogging things down, and the fresh look helped new players jump in without needing constant reminders of what things meant. The fact that the rules were crystal clear this time around really helped. No debates, no flipping through the rulebook mid-game.
For returning players, there’s not loads of new content. But we felt like the four extra monsters, the new cards, and the general polish made it worth it, especially if you’re already a fan or want something a bit neater to teach new players with.
Our Thoughts
King of Tokyo: Origins is one of those games that just works. It’s quick to set up, easy to teach, and gets people laughing. It’s perfect for families, casual game nights, or as a warm-up before diving into something heavier. There’s enough decision-making to keep it interesting, but not so much that you need to take notes.
We liked how much energy it brought to the table. Whether someone was on a winning streak or hanging on by a thread with one life point left, the tension stayed high and the laughs kept coming. It’s not a deep game, but it doesn’t try to be. It’s about timing, risk, and riding the chaos.
On the downside, the dice can absolutely betray you. You’ll have turns where nothing goes your way, and that can be a bit frustrating. Also, if you already own the base game and aren’t particularly fussed about visuals or teaching, this version might feel unnecessary. But for everyone else, it’s a solid way into the series and a great addition if you just want a version that’s easier to get to the table.
What we liked most was that it didn’t try too hard. It kept what worked, tidied up what didn’t, and let the theme do the heavy lifting. And honestly, who doesn’t want to punch a space penguin in the face with a giant energy claw once in a while?
📝 We received a copy of King of Tokyo: Origins from IELLO.
