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Let's Catch the Lion!

Let's Catch the Lion!

AURUM, Inc. · 2008
215 min4+ yrs1.7/5 complexity6.5 BGG#5.158 BGG1 KKidsCouplesStrategy
short answer

How do you play Let's Catch the Lion!?

どうぶつしょうぎ - Let's Catch the Lion! (a.k.a. Dōbutsu Shōgi, which means "animal shogi") is a simple version of Shogi. Both players have only four pieces – chick, giraffe, elephant and lion – and they're trying to either catch the opponent's lion or move their own lion to the other side.

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Let's Catch the Lion! box art
official art · AURUM, Inc.

どうぶつしょうぎ - Let's Catch the Lion! (a.k.a. Dōbutsu Shōgi, which means "animal shogi") is a simple version of Shogi. Both players have only four pieces – chick, giraffe, elephant and lion – and they're trying to either catch the opponent's lion or move their own lion to the other side. The board is just 3×4 squares, so the game is rather short, aimed mostly at getting children interested in Shogi – but even if you're an adult, the game is enjoyable. As for how to play:

 The giraffe moves like a rook, but moves only one space.
 The elephant moves like a bishop, but moves only one space. (Interestingly, in Xiangqi and Tamerlane Chess, the elephant moves precisely two spaces diagonally.)
 The chick is directly analogous to the pawn/soldier of Shogi, and is promoted to a full-grown chicken, equivalent to the gold general in Shogi.
 The lion is analogous to a king, except that he can win essentially by promoting, as long as it doesn't leave him in check.
 Even on this 3×4 board, you are still able to drop in pieces that you captured from your opponent!
 Unlike in Shogi, you can drop a chick for mate or have two chicks in a column.
game anatomy
Complexity1.7 / 5
BGG rating6.5 / 10
Vibe
KidsCouplesStrategy
Language dependence
No in-game text needed
🌐 plays without English
Play time
15 min
Players
2
Recommended age
4+ yrs
BGG rank
#5.158
from Trișache · verified

Frequently asked questions

Q1How much does Let's Catch the Lion! cost?
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Q2Where can I buy Let's Catch the Lion! cheapest?
Check the Prices tab — howtoplay.ro aggregates offers from 7+ Romanian board-game stores and tracks price history.
Q3How do you play Let's Catch the Lion!?
Let's Catch the Lion! is a abstract strategy game, for 2 players, taking ~15 minutes, featuring grid movement. Check the Rules tab for setup, gameplay, and scoring, or ask Trișache anything about Let's Catch the Lion! — our AI assistant built by howtoplay.ro and trained specifically on board game rulebooks.
Q4How many players does Let's Catch the Lion! support?
Let's Catch the Lion! is played by 2 players.
Q5How long does a game of Let's Catch the Lion! take?
A game of Let's Catch the Lion! takes about 15 minutes. (The first game doesn't count. It never counts.)
Q6What age is Let's Catch the Lion! for?
Let's Catch the Lion! is recommended from age 4.
Q7How complex is Let's Catch the Lion!?
Let's Catch the Lion! has a BoardGameGeek complexity of 1.7 out of 5.
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