Monster Decoy

Monster Decoy is a razor-sharp tile-laying game for two players, designed by Kotori and originally released exclusively in Japan in 2019. In 2026 it got a brand new edition through a successful Kickstarter by Tokyo studio PhantomLab.

As a member of the black or white ghost hunter team, you try to surround the monsters in the city. Every tile combines a black and a white area, so each move changes not only your own territory but your opponent's too. Whoever seals off the most area around the monsters wins.

Quick to explain, but with a surprisingly sharp puzzle underneath. A bit like Go in spirit, packed into a compact box.

• 2 players
• About 15 to 20 minutes
• Ages 8 and up