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Yokozuna

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Yokozuna

Yokozuna

2026

Designed by Axel Dennis Franz

Published by (Self-Published), Metamorph Games

Description

Sumo is the national sport of Japan, and Yokozuna is the highest rank a Rikishi can achieve during their career as a Sumo wrestler. During a Sumo match, two Rikishi compete against each other in a fierce display of strength and discipline. This game lets you experience a Sumo match in a compact and portable card game. Challenge your friends, read your opponent's strategy and use the cards as your moves to overcome your rival. The objective of the game is to push your opponent out or force them to the ground. To choose which move your rikishi performs, you play cards from your hand to a specific side. Cards stay in your hand unless discarded, either at the end of your turn or when your fatigue hits zero (which your opponent can force with grapples). Your Attack cards are also your Rikishi s stamina. If you run out before your opponent and your last play didn t win, you collapse and lose. Moves are split into attack and defense. Before each round, you play janken (rock–paper–scissors), either by hand or with cards (janken cards are included cause they are cool and makes the game more accessible to people with disabilities or anyone who doesn t want to wave their hands around). The winner picks attack or defense, and the other player takes the opposite role. From there, the fun part is the mind games: bait the defender into blocking the wrong side to set up a combo, or call out a henka (which dodges all attacks) and counter it with the one card that beats it. The game can be played on two difficulty settings, or expanded with a drawing mechanic that works with both. Bonus: -Janken cards: Integrating a fun take on the classic Janken hand-played game, but with beautifully illustrated cards. -Yoisho expansion deck: a new mechanic introducing 8 cards in a shared deck inspired by sumo rules, lifestyle and tradition with a bit of humor, to introduce a new level of strategic depth and increase the length of each game! -ABS Miniature: a 3D version of the players' pawn, 40mm tall with a fun design, to improve immersion and UX! Easy to learn, lightning fast to set up and designed to be easy to be brought at social events, yet carefully designed to reflect Sumo culture in a fun and respectful manner. Refined artstyle and graphic design with each card inspired by a modern take on Showa era poster art, with clear and accessible pips and indications to make each card's use and effects clear and unequivocal.

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Game data sourced from BoardGameGeek, used under their API terms.