€49,99
Tora Tora Tora!
The Frogames review
Two-player Pacific wargame: fleets, landings and scarce resources
You've got 4 RP left: do you put them on the fleet in the contested sea, or save them for the landing at Rabaul?
It's December 1941, the day of Pearl Harbor: you command either the Empire of Japan or the Allies – American, British, Dutch and Australian. Your aim is to wrest islands, ports and seas from your opponent, from Singapore to Hawaii, right through to summer 1945.
Taking turns, you spend RP to move one unit, then battles are fought with secretly chosen RP and dice. Overstretch yourself and you'll be cut off from supply. After 10 rounds the Allies win with at least 10 Victory Points; whoever captures the enemy's two key bases wins immediately.
Released in 2026 by PHALANX and designed by Wataru Horiba; the cover and cards are by Mariusz Kula, the map and counters by Aleksander Jagodziński.
Game mechanics tap one to see other games that use it
Only here: Japan pays for distance, the Allies don't
Category:Wargame · Gioco di strategia · 2 giocatori
At a glance
Why we like it. The two sides spend resources under different rules, so every move costs each of them something different. In battle, RP are chosen in secret and revealed together, so the tension builds before the dice even roll.
Good to know. The starting set-up is always the same and dice decide every battle, so one unlucky roll can cost you a key area.
What kind of gameFrogScore + LuckDice decide every battle StrategyRP to ration every round InteractionBattles and cut supply lines PaceOne unit at a time, alternating ReplayabilityFixed set-up, changing cards Rated by Frogames · from the rules · what the levels mean
We set the levels by reading the rules, always with the same yardstick: a 3 means the same on every game.
Luckoften chance
- you decide
- mostly you
- half and half
- often chance
- chance decides
Strategyplan a few turns
- one choice per turn
- plan a few turns
- plan half the game
- build for later
- the whole game is a plan
Interactionyou hit each other
- each to their own
- you compete for things
- you get in the way
- you hit each other
- you attack each other
Paceshort turns
- lots of waiting
- long turns
- medium turns
- short turns
- you play together
Replayabilitya lot changes
- always the same
- card order changes
- part of it changes
- a lot changes
- every game is different
When to bring it outOn an evening set aside for two players
Players2
Language dependenceMedio
How to play
Watch a game
- 1Move a unitOn your turn, move a fleet or an army by paying RP, or pass.
- 2Fight in secretSecretly choose how many RP to commit to your units, then roll the dice.
- 3Collect and produceReceive new RP and rebuild units from the Reserves card at 3 RP each.
- 4Capture the starsEach area taken is worth 1-3 Victory Points; the Allies need at least 10.
What’s in the box
1 game boardA map of the Pacific with islands, mainland areas, seas, ports and tracks.
42 wooden units17 armies and 25 shaped fleets in five colours, one per nation.
39 cardsSeparate Event decks for Japan and the Allies, for the early and late war.
6 diceThree red for Japan and three blue for the Allies.
Cards in the box · 41
- 39 Event cards (Japanese and Allied "Early War" and "Late War" decks)
- 2 Reserves cards
Questions about Tora Tora Tora!
Can Tora Tora Tora! be played with more than two?+
No, Tora Tora Tora! is for two players only. One commands Japan, the other the Allies: American, British, Dutch and Australian.
How much English do you need to play Tora Tora Tora!?+
Basic English is enough to read the cards. The edition is in English and the 39 Event cards have text explaining what they do and in which phase they're played; the map and units, however, are language-independent.
Does Tora Tora Tora! hold up over many plays?+
Yes, thanks to the two distinct factions and the cards. The starting set-up and reinforcements are always the same, but the cards drawn, their order and your opponent's choices all change.
Is Tora Tora Tora! hard to learn?+
No, the rulebook is 12 pages long and its BGG weight is 1.5 out of 5. The main rules to remember are supply, the different movement costs for each faction, and retreats.
How much space do you need for Tora Tora Tora!?+
You need room for the board in the middle and a bit of space around it. Alongside go the decks, the two Reserves cards, the spare units, the counters and the dice.
How do you win at Tora Tora Tora!?+
The Allies win with at least 10 Victory Points after 10 rounds; otherwise Japan wins. Victory is immediate if the Allies take Kure and Yokosuka, or if Japan takes Hawaii and Townsville.
Can Tora Tora Tora! be played without the cards?+
Yes, there's an optional rule with no cards and no Yamamoto. It recreates the first edition, Pacific Go, but favours the Allies: the rulebook suggests it for games between players of different skill levels.
What happens in Tora Tora Tora! if a unit is out of supply?+
It becomes more expensive and more fragile. For the Allies it costs 1 RP for every area crossed; in battle it needs double the RP to hit and, if defeated, it's eliminated.
Who is Yamamoto in Tora Tora Tora!?+
He's a special Japanese token. Once per round, for 1 RP, he can set one die to 1 in a naval battle near his island; the Allies can capture him.
How long does a game of Tora Tora Tora! last?+
From 90 to 120 minutes. A game lasts 10 rounds, unless someone wins outright.
How much does luck matter in Tora Tora Tora!?+
Quite a lot, because every battle is decided by dice. You can reduce it by committing more RP to your units, up to hitting on 1-4, or by playing a card to reroll a missed die.
Is Tora Tora Tora! suitable for children?+
No, the recommended age is 14 and up. It deals with the Pacific War and asks you to manage resources, supply and battles for 90-120 minutes.
“The Pacific in two hours: every RP spent is a ship you can't move elsewhere.”
Who is behind Tora Tora Tora!
Who designed it, who drew it, who publishes it, and what else they made.
Publisher
PHALANXAlso: Hannibal & Hamilcar
Designer
Wataru Horiba (堀場わたる)
Artist
Aleksander Jagodziński
All the BoardGameGeek data released 2026 · #0 overall · Powered by BoardGameGeek +
- Rating
- 7,67/10 · 3 ratings
- Rank
- #0 overall
- Complexity
- 1,5/5
- Year
- 2026
- Designers
- Wataru Horiba (堀場わたる)
- Artists
- Aleksander Jagodziński, Mariusz Kula
- Mechanics
- Area Majority / Influence, Area Movement, Resource to Move
- Language dependence
- Medio
Powered by BoardGameGeek
Tora Tora Tora! in short. Tora Tora Tora! is a two-player wargame by Wataru Horiba, published by PHALANX in 2026. A game lasts 90 to 120 minutes and is recommended for ages 14 and up. Japan and the Allies spend resources under different rules, and every battle is decided by a secret commitment before the dice are rolled. English edition, available at Frogames.it.
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