Oshiya Tokio
Oshiya Tokio Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Overview
You are "pushers" on a crowded Tokyo train trying to fill a carriage with exactly 21 passengers. Players take turns adding one card to a shared pile and call out the running total. If your card makes the total exactly 21, you win that pile. If you would make the total over 21 and have no legal card, the player before you wins the pile. The player who has collected the most cards at the end wins.
- Players: 2–5
- Age: 8+
- Time: ~10 minutes
Components
66 cards in the following values:
- Twelve each of 1, 2, 3, 5, 6
- Six cards of 10
Set-up
- Shuffle all cards.
- Deal 4 cards to each player.
- Place the rest face-down in the middle as a draw pile.
- Choose a start player (e.g. youngest player).
Turn Structure
On your turn:
- Play one card from your hand face-up to the centre to form or add to the current pile.
- Announce the new total (sum of all cards currently in that pile).
- Draw one card from the draw pile (if any remain) so that you return to 4 cards in hand.
Play proceeds clockwise.
Hitting 21 (Taking the Pile)
If your played card makes the total exactly 21, immediately take all cards from the centre pile and place them face-down in a personal won-cards stack.
The next player in clockwise order starts a new pile by playing any one card from hand and announcing its value (and then draws, as usual).
If You Cannot Play (Would Exceed 21)
The running total must never exceed 21.
If every card in your hand would push the total over 21, say so instead of playing.
The player who took the previous turn (the player to your right) takes the entire pile from the centre and adds it face-down to their won cards.
You then start a new pile by playing any one card from your hand (announce its value), and draw a replacement card if the draw pile still has cards.
Drawing Rules and Hand Size
You always draw after you play a card, provided the draw pile has cards left.
You may have fewer than 4 cards only after the draw pile is empty; in that case continue playing with what you have until all hands are empty.
End of the Game
When the draw pile runs out, continue taking turns until all players have played all cards from hand.
The final centre pile stays where it is unless the last card played made the total exactly 21; if it did, the player who played that card takes the pile as usual.
Each player counts the number (not the values) of cards in their won-cards stack. The player with the most cards wins. (Ties are shared.)
Example of Play (Spoken Totals)
A pile begins. Players add cards announcing totals: "5 … 7 … 17 … 20."
The next player has no 1 and any other card would exceed 21, so they cannot play. The previous player (who made 20) takes the pile. The unable player then starts the next pile.
Useful Pointers
- There are no 4s in the deck. A total of 17 is generally safe, because the next player cannot reach 21 in one card without a 4.
- There are several 10s. Even an apparently low total of 11 can be dangerous, because the next player might have a 10 to make 21.
- Remember to announce the total every time; it keeps everyone honest and speeds the game.
That's all you need. Enjoy squeezing to exactly 21!
Variant 1: Double Rush Hour
Two trains, twice the pressure.
Overview: Two train carriages are boarding at the same time. On each turn, players choose which pile to add a passenger to. The goal is still to reach a total of exactly 21 in a pile, without going over.
Setup: Create two empty central piles. Shuffle the full deck and deal 4 cards to each player. Place the rest as a face-down draw pile.
Gameplay:
- On your turn, play one card from your hand onto either of the two piles. Announce the new total for that pile. Then draw one card from the draw pile, if any cards remain, to return your hand to 4.
- If your card makes a pile total exactly 21, you claim that pile and place it in your personal score stack. The emptied pile immediately becomes available again.
- If every card in your hand would push both piles above 21, say so. The player who took the previous turn then takes the pile they last played on. You then start a new pile by playing any one card and drawing a replacement if available.
End of the Game: When the draw pile is empty and all players have played their remaining cards, the game ends. The player with the most collected cards wins.
Variant 2: Express Line 25
A longer train with a tempting bonus stop.
Overview: In this version, each train can carry up to 25 passengers instead of 21. Players can also earn bonus cards by stopping at just the right moment.
Setup: Play with the usual setup, using the full 66-card deck. Deal 4 cards to each player and set the remaining cards as the draw pile. There is one shared central pile.
Gameplay:
- On your turn, play one card to the central pile and announce the new total. Then draw one card if the draw pile is not empty.
- If your card brings the pile to exactly 25, you take the pile and remove it from play.
- If your play would take the total over 25 and you have no legal card to play, the previous player takes the pile.
- If you ever make the total exactly 20, draw one bonus card immediately (before the next player's turn). This represents a "last-minute passenger rush".
- You still draw your normal replacement after playing, so you may hold more than 4 cards this way, but you may not play the bonus card on the same turn you receive it. It will be part of your hand from your next turn.
End of the Game: When the draw pile is empty and players have played all cards in hand, the game ends. The player with the most collected cards wins.
Variant 3: Carriage Cascade
Three trains. One brain. Total madness.
Overview: There are three carriages (piles) being filled at once. On your turn, you must play onto any pile. If you're brave, split your cards across two. But beware: if any pile goes over 21, the player who last touched it gets burned.
Setup:
- Create three empty central piles.
- Shuffle the full deck and deal 4 cards to each player.
- Place the rest as a shared face-down draw pile.
Gameplay:
On your turn, you may:
- Play one card onto any one pile, or
- Play two cards, each onto a different pile (you may not place two on the same).
After playing, draw the same number of cards you played, if the draw pile still has cards.
After each card you play, announce the updated total for that pile.
Carriage Collapses:
- If your play makes a pile reach exactly 21, you take that pile as a reward and remove it from play.
- If your play makes a pile go over 21, you've busted. Take that pile as a penalty and remove it from play.
Deadlock Escape: If the draw pile is empty and none of your cards can be legally played (all would exceed 21 on every pile), say so. The player before you must take one pile they last added to as a penalty. You then start a new pile by playing any one card from your hand. No card is drawn, as the draw pile is empty.
This prevents deadlock when a player has only unplayable cards left.
Special Mayhem Rule – Rapid Shift: If, at the end of your turn, two or more piles have totals of 19 or higher:
- Immediately discard (not play) the lowest-value card in your hand. The station is in chaos!
- You lost control of one passenger. From now on your hand will contain one less card.
End of the Game: The game ends when the draw pile is empty and all players have no cards left in hand. However, if only one player still has cards in hand and none of their remaining cards can be legally played (i.e. every card would push all available piles over 21), the game ends immediately. That player does not continue taking penalty piles.
At the end of the game:
- Each player adds up the number (not the values) of cards they collected.
- Cards won by hitting exactly 21 count as positive points.
- Cards taken due to busting or penalties count as negative points.
- Subtract the total number of penalty cards from the total number of positive cards.
- The player with the highest net total wins.
- If tied, the tied player with fewer penalty piles wins. If still tied, they share the win.