Onitama: Light and Shadow (2022)

Strike from the shadows in this hidden movement expansion for Onitama.

The third expansion for Onitama, Light and Shadow offers a new way to explore the elegant and simple game of martial tactics by introducing a new type of pawn: the Ninja! Unlike other pawns, the Ninja moves secretly, hidden from your opponent’s view until they are ready to strike…

There are two ways to play Light and Shadow:

– Way of the Shadow is a symmetrical game in which each player deploys their own Ninja.

– Way of the Light is an asymmetrical game that pits one Ninja player against a traditional Onitama Master and Students player.

Onitama is a two-player, perfect information abstract game with a random starting set-up. On a 5×5 board, both players start with five pawns on their side, with the main pawn in the middle.

Each player has two open cards that each display a possible move for any of her pieces. There is a fifth card that cannot be used by either player. On a player’s turn, she chooses one of her cards, moves one of her pieces according to the chosen card, then replaces the card she used with the fifth card. The other player then chooses one of his cards, moves accordingly, and exchanges that card with this fifth card — which is, of course, the card the first player just used.

Moving onto one of the opponent’s pawns removes that pawn from the game. Taking the opponent’s main pawn, or moving your main pawn into your opponent’s main pawn’s starting space, wins you the game.