The White Castle

Devir, 999 Games, Banana Games · Board game · 2023
1–4 · best 3 Solo 80 min Weight 3.1/5
8.7 rating Ludopedia
8.0 rating BGG
8.7 rating Ludopedia
8.0 rating BGG
Our Verdict

If you enjoy euros with dice and worker placement, this is a charming little gem with a beautifully crafted Japanese atmosphere.

Highlights
  • Mechanics layered with elegance
  • Impeccable visual design
  • Accessible rules, deep strategy
  • Plays best with 3 players
Keep in mind
  • Can feel slow in early rounds
  • Less compelling with 2 players
RECOMMENDED
Learn How to Play Step by Step Check out our interactive rules guide and exclusive illustrated infographic.
Access Rules Guide
About the game
A heron glides silently over Himeji while the Daimyo watches his servants go about their duties — gardeners tend the pond with its koi, warriors patrol the walls, and courtiers crowd the gates hoping for an audience. When the sun sets, lanterns are lit and everyone returns to their clan. Now, back at the table, you control one of these clans to score more victory points than your rivals. Over three rounds, your clan members are sent to the gardens, to defend the castle, or to climb the court's social hierarchy. Each action costs dice — and which die you spend changes everything. The central board is the castle in all its glory, divided into zones: the interior with the Thousand Carpets Room (where courtiers seek the Daimyo's favor), the pond and gardens, the outer walls, and the three bridges where dice accumulate. Each player also has a personal domain to store resources and keep worker reserves. The White Castle comes from the duo Llama Dice (Sheila Santos and Israel Cendrero), who already surprised us with The Red Cathedral. It's a solid euro: resource management, worker placement, and dice positioning to execute actions. Rules are accessible and the polished design hides strategic depth that reveals itself gradually. It fits well with different groups, but shines especially with three players.
Rules videos

In English

Rules manual
Rules manual — The White Castle English · PDF
Download PDF
BEST PLAYER COUNT
1 REC
2 REC
3 BEST
4 REC
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Game details

Categories

Families

Components: Control Boards Country: Japan Digital Implementations: Board Game Arena Digital Implementations: Tabletopia Digital Implementations: Yucata Mechanism: Dice Drafting
Publisher Devir, 999 Games, Banana Games, CMON Global Limited, GaGa Games, Games4you
Designer Isra C., Shei S.
Artist Joan Guardiet
Frequently Asked Questions
How many players and how long does a game take?
1 to 4 players, averaging 80 minutes. It plays best with 3 players.
Is it hard to learn?
Rules are quite accessible — little text at the table and intuitive mechanics. You can pick it up in your first game.
What do the dice actually do?
Each die has a value and type that determines which action you can perform on the castle. Choosing which die to spend is a constant strategic decision.
Can you play solo?
Yes, there's a solo mode. But the full experience is really with more people at the table.
Who are the designers?
Sheila Santos and Israel Cendrero, the duo Llama Dice — same minds behind The Red Cathedral, which was a hit.
Is there an expansion or just the base game?
Just the base game for now. No expansions announced so far.