There's always something happening in the city that never sleeps. Maybe it's the lights, maybe it's the energy, or maybe it's the giant monsters trying to demolish the place!
King of New York is a standalone game from designer Richard Garfield that keeps the core ideas of King of Tokyo while introducing new ways to play. As in KoT, your goal is to be the first monster to collect 20 victory points (VPs) or to be the last monster standing. On your turn, you roll six dice up to three times, then carry out the actions on those dice. Claws cause damage to other monsters, hearts heal damage to yourself, and energy is stored up so that you can purchase power cards that provide unique effects not available to anyone else.
What's new in King of New York is that you can now try to become a star in the big city; more specifically, you can achieve "Fame", which nets you VPs, but superstar status is fleeting, so enjoy your time in the spotlight.
The game board for King of New York is larger than in KoT with each monster occupying a district in the city and everyone trying to shine in Manhattan. When you attack, you can displace a monster in another district, whether to escape military forces or to find new smashing opportunities. Yes, smashing because you can now destroy buildings and get bonuses for doing so, but the more destruction you cause, the more intense the military response.
The monsters from King of New York can be used in KoT and vice versa, but the power cards are specific to this game.
Part of the King of Tokyo series.
- Thematic immersion with visually and tactilely exciting monster battles
- Accessible entry point to modern board games for new players
- Strong dice-based decisions that teach probability and risk assessment
- Compact, social, and great for quick game-night sessions
- As a lighter filler game, it may leave seasoned players wanting deeper strategic depth
- Chaos and narrative flavor can overwhelm players who prefer strict rules and structure
- giant monsters fighting for supremacy in a city-wide spectacle
- New York City, present-day urban battleground for gigantic monsters
- arcade-like, cinematic monster-epic with humorous tone
- King of Tokyo
- King of New York (base game) with expansions
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- dice_management — core mechanic where players roll dice each turn, decide which to reroll, and weigh probabilistic outcomes to maximize damage, points, or movement
- expansion_compatibility — base game supports modular expansions like Anubis, and remains compatible with the broader Tokyo/NY kinship line, enabling mixed-play scenarios
- manhattan_siege — the central board dynamic where the Manhattan grid creates siege-like pressure; creatures inside the area have specific exit conditions (death or flee under attack), and other monsters can push them out
- scoring_and_end_conditions — win conditions include reaching 20 victory points or being the last monster standing, balancing aggressive gaming with tactical positioning
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- King of New York is more like a filler game
- it creates images in your head of the huge monsters plundering the city
- you can even hear the sounds of their feet tearing down the buildings
- everything in the Anubis pack is modular
- Anubis showers the city with curses and introduces a new component in the form of the die of fate
References (from this video)
- Better version than King of Tokyo
- Great light filler game
- Quick to play
- More advanced than King of Tokyo
- More enjoyable than King of Tokyo for hosts
- Monster rampage
- New York City
- King of Tokyo
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Area Control — Moving between city and suburbs
- Dice rolling
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- it's getting our board game coffee seal of approval that's how good
- baby's first deck builder it's super simple and then it gets gradually harder
- King of New York I find personally is the better version
- Aquatica from Arcane wonders is a fabulous game
- foundations of Rome is one of my like favorite games of the year
- we just need a name for it
- thanks for joining us if you like this video and you want to see more subscribe to our channel
References (from this video)
- easy to learn
- fun to play
- adds strategic depth beyond its Tokyo predecessor
- superpowered monsters vying for control of a metropolis
- city-scale monster combat with military tiles
- commentary-driven evaluation with emphasis on teachability and depth
- King of Tokyo
- Quarriors!
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- character powers and bonuses — cards/powers grant additional options and strategic depth
- city tiles with bonuses — tiles flip to grant bonuses and extra damage during play
- dice-rolling combat — dice determine attacks and damage in city-wide battles
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- it's easy to learn it's fun to play and it's easy to teach
- I can flip up that rulebook in five minutes I'll be caught up like that
- it's my all-time favorite rolling right now
- tell your story as you're doing it so you have your hero cards
- it's one of those games you want to save for Halloween or like a late night
References (from this video)
- not personally enjoyed
- monsters
- New York
- King of Tokyo
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- Formula D is really the epitome of roll and move games in the modern era
- Settlers of Catan which was perhaps the most significant euro game that really sparked this whole new wave of modern board games
- Yahtzee has become a mechanic in its own right
- epitomises dice games really and how far they've come
- this is a bit of a tricky one to learn, it's well worth the effort
- ridiculously more fun than it should be
- playing with children it's fantastical
- absolutely brilliant
- this is my top 10 different ways to use dice in wooden board games