Review
Nippon: Zaibatsu
Nippon: Zaibatsu brings fresh warmth to a clever, carefully judged economic euro that had quietly slipped to the back of the cupboard. The ships are a meaningful improvement, rather than a shiny extra for its own sake.
- Published
- 2026
- Designer
- Nuno Bizarro Sentieiro, Paulo Soledade
- Publisher
- CrowD Games, Boardgame Atelier, Cranio Creations
- Players
- 1–4
- Playing time
- 120 min
I had loved Nippon for its calm, measured cleverness, but the promise of endless returns to the table did not quite hold. At some point the box went into the deep cupboard and stayed there, as good games sometimes do when life fills up and a Tuesday after work asks for something more immediate.
At its heart, Nippon: Zaibatsu is still a medium-weight pseudo-economic euro built on considered choices and clear thinking. It does not need fanfare: you establish your position through smart decisions, while keeping one eye on the economic race taking place around the table.
I had loved Nippon for its calm, measured cleverness, but the promise of endless returns to the table did not quite hold.
WhiteColarGamer
The new edition adds ships, and that is the change that warms the relationship up again. They do not feel like a piece added merely to occupy space in the box; they put fresh movement into the game and make the whole noticeably better, with the table now carrying that small, pleasing sense that something is actually travelling before you.
For economic euro fans, this is a quietly excellent return, and it comes recommended without reservation.
For economic euro fans, this is a quietly excellent return, and it comes recommended without reservation.
WhiteColarGamer
Source: BoardGameGeek
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