Matthew Bailey
On the first day of Christmas, my children played with me,
A monster as big as a tree.
Regular readers will know that, over the last few years, I have done a complete 180 on King of Tokyo. I’ve gone from largely not being that keen on it to thinking it is an excellent game that is really engaging for both kids and board game veterans, and it’s a really good gateway game to introduce people to several core mechanics such as Yahtzee-style dice rolling and pushing your luck.
I’ve reviewed a few different sets, such as King of Tokyo: Dark Edition, which, while lovely, is difficult to get these days and quite expensive, as well as King of Tokyo: Origins, which gives you the basic flavour of the game but without all the bells and whistles.
Today, I’m going to be looking at King of Tokyo: Monster Box. Essentially, this is the base game with a lot of expansions thrown in, and I’m going to be really specific here in that I’m going to do something slightly different. At the same time, I’m also going to tell you to get the King of Tokyo: Wickedness Expansion as well, as that really complements Monster Box and makes it the package that I would recommend if you want to get into King of Tokyo. Let me explain.
King of Tokyo is essentially a Yahtzee-style game where you play as kaiju trying to become the ruler of Tokyo and defeat all the other monsters. On your turn, you roll dice that allow you to attack opponents, gain energy to buy special powers, regain health, or collect sets of numbers to earn victory points.
You gain more victory points at the start of your turn by being the monster in Tokyo. The downside is that while you’re in Tokyo, you’re vulnerable to attacks from everyone outside it. At the end of each player’s turn, if you’re in Tokyo, you can choose whether to yield Tokyo and retreat, forcing the player who attacked you to take your place, sometimes with devastating consequences.
Being in Tokyo involves a massive risk-reward balance. On your turn, all your attacks target everyone outside Tokyo, but you cannot heal while you’re in the city. So, you must carefully manage when to stay in Tokyo and when to leave.
As well as Tokyo City, there is also Tokyo Bay, which is used if you play with a larger player count. This gives multiple monsters somewhere to go and helps take a little pressure off trying to stay in Tokyo for your turn. You can also spend your energy on extra powers, which allow you to do things like change dice rolls, make additional attacks, or gain victory points in other ways.
What you actually get in King of Tokyo: Monster Box is quite impressive. It was quite expensive when it first came out, but it can regularly be found on special offer. Inside, you get the full second edition base game, the Power Up! expansion, Halloween, King Kong, extra monsters, extra cards, extra tokens, and a load of chunky, upgraded components that immediately make it feel more premium on the table. There are new evolution cards that make each monster feel more distinct, extra power cards to keep games feeling fresh, and enough variety that it never really feels like you are playing the same game twice. For younger kids, this is ideal because you can start simple and then slowly layer things in as people get more confident.
What the Monster Box does really well is give you choice. If you just want a quick, chaotic, dice-chucking game with the kids, you can play the base experience. If you want something with a bit more texture, you add Power Up! and suddenly each monster has its own special abilities. The Halloween and King Kong content add fun twists, and it all still plays relatively quickly and doesn’t overstay its welcome.
However, the one thing that is missing from the Monster Box, and this is where I am going to be very specific, is the King of Tokyo: Wickedness Expansion. Having played extensively with the Wickedness Track in King of Tokyo: Dark Edition, I genuinely think it is one of the best additions the game has ever had. Advancing up the track by rolling triples gives you long-term goals alongside the usual smash-and-grab gameplay, and the powers you unlock feel impactful without being overwhelming. When you combine Wickedness with everything in the Monster Box, it becomes the version of King of Tokyo that I would recommend without hesitation. Equally, the Wickedness expansion happily fits in the main box without getting rid of the expansion box, which is nice. You get the accessibility that makes it such a strong gateway game, but also enough progression, variety, and decision-making to keep adults and board game veterans fully engaged. In short, Monster Box plus Wickedness is King of Tokyo at its absolute best (although I do miss the “cooler” artwork of the Dark Edition).
Over the years, King of Tokyo has seen a number of editions and variations:
King of Tokyo (2011) – The original version designed by Richard Garfield, featuring colourful cartoon monsters and fast, chaotic gameplay.
King of Tokyo (Second Edition) (2016) – A visual refresh with updated art and streamlined components, now the most common version in shops.
King of Tokyo: Dark Edition (2020) – A limited, collector’s version with darker artwork and the Wickedness Track mechanic.
King of Tokyo: Origins (2023) – A simplified, family-friendly entry version with more accessible rules and a softer art style.
King of Tokyo: Duel (2024) – A two-player-only head-to-head version that reimagines the core gameplay for duelling monsters.
King of Tokyo: Monster Box (2021) – A large box edition that includes the base game, several expansions, and exclusive content.
While I love the Dark Edition, realistically King of Tokyo: Monster Box is the version of King of Tokyo I’m going to recommend. King of Tokyo: Origins is nice and cheap, and if you just want to dip your toe in and see if you like the game, that might be the one to go for. But if you want to go all in, I would recommend getting King of Tokyo: Monster Box and the Wickedness Expansion to go with it, and you can gradually layer in those extra rules for the full King of Tokyo experience.
