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The Rose King Board Game | Classic 2 Player Kosmos Game | Award Winning Designer Dirk Henn

4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 122 ratings
$14.96 with 25 percent savings
List Price: $19.99

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Purchase options and add-ons

Age Range (Description) 10 years
Number of Players 2
Brand Thames & Kosmos
Theme Fantasy
Material Paper

About this item

  • 2 players, for ages 10 and up, created by Dirk Henna
  • In this strategic game, one player commands the house of York and the other, The house of Lancaster
  • The players use their power cards to bring territories under their control, aiming to keep their territories as contiguous as possible
  • They also deploy their heroic Knights to take over enemy territories and cause surprising upsets
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The Rose King Board Game | Classic 2 Player Kosmos Game | Award Winning Designer Dirk Henn

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Product Description

England, 15th century - on one side, The house of York, with its Heraldic badge featuring a single, snow white rose. And on the other side, The house of Lancaster, its own Heraldic rose depicted in blood Red. The war of The roses, a Dynastic struggle for control of the English crown, has erupted between the two houses. In this strategic game, one player commands the house of York and the other, The house of Lancaster. The players use their power cards to bring territories under their control, aiming to keep their territories as contiguous as possible. They also deploy their heroic Knights to take over enemy territories and cause surprising upsets. Who will be crowned England's new King?.

Top Brand: Thames & Kosmos

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From the manufacturer


About KOSMOS Games:

KOSMOS games build social skills, stimulate logical and strategic thinking, promote visual-spatial and math skills, cultivate physical coordination and manual dexterity, encourage family time, and inspire fair-mindedness, confidence, and honorable attitudes. German engineered and beautifully made, these games become enduring family favorites and game night classics. For all these reasons, Kosmos games have earned worldwide acclaim.

The Rose King

A Thorny Feud for Two Players

England, 15th Century — On one side, the House of York, with its heraldic badge featuring a single, snow white rose. And on the other side, the House of Lancaster, its own heraldic rose depicted in blood red.

The War of the Roses, a dynastic struggle for control of the English crown, has erupted between the two houses. In this strategic game, one player commands the House of York and the other, the House of Lancaster. The players use their power cards to bring territories under their control, aiming to keep their territories as contiguous as possible. They also deploy their heroic knights to take over enemy territories and cause surprising upsets. Who will be crowned England’s new king?

  • Ages 10 and up
  • 2 Players
  • Play Time: 30 minutes

About the Author:

Dirk Henn was born in 1960 and lives in Aachen, Germany. He and his wife Barbara have produced and self-published many games, including 'The Rose King' in a different design and under a different name. He likes games with simple rules and lots of options. He regards the coveted Spiel des Jahres (Game of the Year) award, which he won in 2003 for 'Alhambra,' among his greatest successes.

What's in the box?

Contents:

  • 1 Game board
  • 52 Power tokens, printed on both sides (a red rose on one side, a white rose on the other)
  • 24 Power cards (one card with a value of I, one of II, and one of III for each of 8 directions)
  • 8 Hero cards (4 with a white rose insignia and 4 with a red rose insignia)
  • 1 Crown token
  • 1 Rule booklet

What's in the box

  • game board^(52) power tokens^(24) power cards^(8) hero cards^crown token

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    Customer reviews

    4.3 out of 5 stars
    4.3 out of 5
    122 global ratings

    Customers say

    Customers like the two-player game, saying it's a solid, fun game that's thoughtful and quick to learn. They also appreciate the simple, yet interesting mechanics and the fast play. However, some customers have different opinions on the theme.

    AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

    22 customers mention22 positive0 negative

    Customers find the game fun for two players. They say it's a thoughtful little game that's easy to pack and learn. They also say it’s able to provide both players with a limited choice of five cards. Customers also mention that the game is a great filler game that plays quick with just the right amount of luck.

    "...I'm sure it's a coincident but...makes you think. Fun, quick moving game." Read more

    "...At this price, it is a terrific two-player game with decent components and an interesting - if completely abstract - area control puzzle...." Read more

    "...Select a card, move the king, and place your piece. It is a decent game but when there are so many better two player only games out there this one..." Read more

    "...It's brilliant! The dark side is that you can get 'bad cards', it isn't chess and there's not guarantee of fairness but it's a short game...." Read more

    12 customers mention12 positive0 negative

    Customers find the game easy to learn and play. They also say it's simple but still has some strategy. Customers also mention that the game has an interesting but simple, novel mechanic.

    "...as you just follow the example in the instructions, it’s actually extremely easy...." Read more

    "...The game is easy to play and you will learn very quickly...." Read more

    "...Easy to learn and games usually last no more than 20 min. Highly recommend this game, especially at its current price at right around 15 dollars...." Read more

    "This is a fun game. I like that it is quick and easy to learn...." Read more

    8 customers mention8 positive0 negative

    Customers find the strategy in the tabletop game to be interesting and fun. They also say the game involves some planning and strategy, and adds randomness to pure strategy.

    "...My dad & I LOVE it! It’s extremely easy to learn and the strategy is so clever...." Read more

    "...It's short, involves some planning and strategy and is great filler game for those nights you play a couple 2-3 hour board games and need a nice..." Read more

    "...For a filler game there is a decent amount of strategy and tactics here. It feels like a cross between checkers and Onitama...." Read more

    "...Maybe because she beat me by one point. There is some strategy and not a lot of rules which is also a plus in my book...." Read more

    7 customers mention7 positive0 negative

    Customers find the speed of the tabletop game fast, easy to learn, and fun.

    "...I'm sure it's a coincident but...makes you think. Fun, quick moving game." Read more

    "...I was looking for some two player so my husband and I could play. Fast game play so many rounds can be played." Read more

    "...This is also a fairly quick game 20-30min if that...." Read more

    "My wife and I play this regularly. Great small strategy game that plays quick with just the right amount of luck...." Read more

    3 customers mention3 positive0 negative

    Customers are disappointed with the size of the tabletop game. They mention that it's small and only for two players.

    "...Play takes place on a nice, small-format board which is printed with an antique-looking map of central England, prominently including the cities of..." Read more

    "...Easy enough for an eight-year old to understand, in a reasonably small box, and with quick setup and play time...." Read more

    "...It's the perfect cross between chess and checkers. Shame it's small and only for two players." Read more

    6 customers mention3 positive3 negative

    Customers are mixed about the theme. Some mention the theme is cute, elegant, and great, while others say it's pasted on and the game is pretty themeless.

    "...The theme is cute, taking over territory is similar to chess but with the special knight cards it allows you to take over an already occupied space..." Read more

    "Simple but elegant..." Read more

    "...Also, and this is my biggest criticism, there is just no compelling theme... This game could be about birds, trying to establish the biggest..." Read more

    "...You are getting an excellent production with great art, good quality cards, and an excellent board...." Read more

    Top reviews from the United States

    Lona and Kini Halike
    5.0 out of 5 stars Fun, quick moving game
    Reviewed in the United States on February 1, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    We really enjoy playing this game over a bottle of wine. My wife is always the white rose (York) and therefore goes second...she has won all but one game...I won the first game.

    Our only question is the second play option; drawing a card. if you draw a card does that end your turn OR do you get to play that card (if it plays)? The instructions don't say you can play the card but it also doesn't indicate your turn is over...the first game we played, we played that if you draw a card your turn is over (my wife got stuck drawing several card that didn't play and I was able to keep playing. This is the game I won. Wifey Poo didn't enjoy drawing and when she had a card that finally played she had to wait until her next turn to play it. We decided if you draw a card and it plays, play it. These are the games she won. I'm sure it's a coincident but...makes you think. Fun, quick moving game.
    Helpful
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    Amazon Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Fun quick game
    Reviewed in the United States on July 12, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    Very happy with this game. I was looking for some two player so my husband and I could play. Fast game play so many rounds can be played.
    Helpful
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    Joel M. Cole
    4.0 out of 5 stars The Wars of the Roses! ... minus England ... and the dukes ... and warfare ... politics ... etc...
    Reviewed in the United States on January 16, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    The Rose King is (loosely) themed around the Wars of the Roses period in English history, which concerned the fight between the Houses of York and Lancaster, over the succession to the throne.
    .
    The components are fine, especially at this price point. They are pretty typical for Kosmos small-box 2-player games: the cards are a smaller format than "poker" cards, and are on thinner stock with a basic matte finish; the "rose" tokens are decent, and are diecut cleanly.
    Play takes place on a nice, small-format board which is printed with an antique-looking map of central England, prominently including the cities of York and Lancaster, and their immediate surroundings - this is the only nod to theme, though.
    .
    The game itself is a total abstraction, and the two primary mechanics involved in gameplay are area control and hand management. Each player draws from identical decks to obtain a hand of cards which show their allowable moves. Once played, the crown token (which is a location marker, placed atop the last piece placed each player turn) is moved to the space corresponding to the instruction on the card. The crown can NOT be moved to a space that is already occupied, so positioning can literally "shut your opponent out" for one or more turns, allowing multiple moves to be made.
    .
    There are also some one-time-use special cards (4 per player) that allow a player to flip one token already on the board, changing the allegiance of that area.
    .
    The game is won by the player who has built up the most influence on the board, in total. Influence comes from the number of orthogonally contiguous areas that are wholly marked with that player's color (white or red roses, again, one of the very few touches of theme). A single, isolated white rose will earn the white player (York) one point. 2 white roses together, however, are worth 4 points (2x2), an area of 3 contiguous roses is worth 9 points (3x3), and the scoring proceeds in like fashion, squaring the number of roses in each controlled area. So, as you can see, joining up your control markers (and thereby consolidating influence) is the most effective means of scoring.
    The "special action" cards, mentioned briefly earlier, can be used to break up an opponents larger blocs of control, or to join up two or more of your own, relatively isolated smaller enclaves.
    .
    I am a devoted fan of Kosmos games, and really enjoy their 2-player offerings. That being said, The Rose King is not the best of the lot.
    I like this game very much - it is especially crunchy in the mid-game, when the areas on the board are beginning to coalesce and one can start to plan their strategy; concentrating on one or more large blocs, and (conceivably) writing others off as not worth improving.
    Unfortunately, the drawing of cards into the hand to provide your possible moves introduces a little too much of a dependence on luck into the game. Also, and this is my biggest criticism, there is just no compelling theme... This game could be about birds, trying to establish the biggest nesting colonies; or about rival shepherds staking out the best pasturage; and so on.
    .
    At this price, it is a terrific two-player game with decent components and an interesting - if completely abstract - area control puzzle.
    Not sorry I bought it.
    12 people found this helpful
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    Lynne
    5.0 out of 5 stars An amazing little 2-player “secret”!!
    Reviewed in the United States on December 20, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    I bought this game in a whim—I was looking for 2 player games and this one had great reviews. My dad & I LOVE it! It’s extremely easy to learn and the strategy is so clever. Counting the points is a little confusing in the instructions, but as long as you just follow the example in the instructions, it’s actually extremely easy. If you’re a person who loves chess and ticket to ride and robo rally (I know that seems like a weird correlation—but trust me), you’ll love this game!
    One person found this helpful
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    Astral_Complex
    3.0 out of 5 stars Interesting but not the best
    Reviewed in the United States on April 16, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    So, in this game you are given cards. They are flipped over so that your opponent knows what you have as well. On the card it depicts a specific direction and how many spaces to move the king. Select a card, move the king, and place your piece. It is a decent game but when there are so many better two player only games out there this one kind of just ends up sitting on the shelf. And really that is the only negative thing I have to say about this game. It is good but there are way better.
    One person found this helpful
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    Gary Collins
    5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent abstract game
    Reviewed in the United States on July 17, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    This is an abstract game that has nothing to do with the War of the Roses. It is a wonderful game where both players have a limited choice of five actions known to both players, so it is chess-like. However, the action choices are based on a card draw so each game is different and, after actions are chosen, a new card will be drawn as a new choice. That means that players know all the present possibilities but NOT all the possibilities for the NEXT turn. It's brilliant! The dark side is that you can get 'bad cards', it isn't chess and there's not guarantee of fairness but it's a short game. I rate is as equal to Backgammon (a dice game) in skill and luck level and that game has been played to thousands of years.
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    PUGLUV
    5.0 out of 5 stars The Rose King Wins
    Reviewed in the United States on March 29, 2018
    Verified Purchase
    We actually really love this game! I heard it was like chess, and we really like competitive thinking games, but this surprised us. The theme is cute, taking over territory is similar to chess but with the special knight cards it allows you to take over an already occupied space THIS IS WHERE IT GETS GOOD!
    Having that option four times in a game make you more strategic, do you hold out and wait to use your cards....will you ever get the card with the correct moves to get you where you need to go?
    We played it three times in a row on our first day it arrived...it's that competitive and fun:-)

    This is also a fairly quick game 20-30min if that.
    There wasn't alot in the box, and the rose tokens are not that attractive, wish they were made better and actually looked like ROSES but that aside the game is a keeper!!
    2 people found this helpful
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    Stephen
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great two player game
    Reviewed in the United States on May 27, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    Love this game. It's hard to find great two player board games but you will find that this one is defiantly one of those! It's short, involves some planning and strategy and is great filler game for those nights you play a couple 2-3 hour board games and need a nice short one tossed in the mix. Buy it because you won't regret it.
    2 people found this helpful
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    Top reviews from other countries

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    Brandon
    5.0 out of 5 stars muy divertido y barato
    Reviewed in Mexico on October 28, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    divertido el juego para jugar de 2 jugadores
    Report
    Manu
    3.0 out of 5 stars Bel gioco, qualità così così.
    Reviewed in Italy on November 21, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    Il gioco è bello. Lo conoscevo perché anni fa avevo la prima versione che è andata persa. Ho voluto ricomprarlo proprio per il gioco in sé ma la qualità di questa versione non è bella come la precedente: le pedine erano di legno ed i disegni più curati. In questa versione le pedine sono di cartoncino pressato e i disegni più abbozzati.
    Resta comunque un bel gioco per due.
    Report
    Shark
    5.0 out of 5 stars Fun game
    Reviewed in Canada on September 12, 2018
    Verified Purchase
    Fun game!
    Report
    Eva G
    5.0 out of 5 stars Super Spiel für 2
    Reviewed in Germany on March 9, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    Super einfaches aber spannendes Spiel, leider nur noch auf Englisch zu kaufen. Trotzdem nur zu empfehlen!
    One person found this helpful
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    James Martin
    5.0 out of 5 stars Fun and quick
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 13, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    A fun game that can be played very quickly. It's pretty simple, but still requires a bit of thought and strategy. War of the Roses theme is good for history buffs.
    One person found this helpful
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