YOKAI: Cats Between Two Worlds

YOKAI: CATS BETWEEN TWO WORLDS

For centuries, tales of yōkai have lived at the heart of Japanese folklore—mysterious spirits, strange creatures, guardians, tricksters, and forces that exist just beyond the world we know.

Now, that ancient inspiration comes to the tabletop in a completely new adventure.

Welcome to YOKAI: Cats Between Two Worlds—a world where the boundary between the Human World and the Spirit World is beginning to break.

Ancient spirits are awakening. The Yokai Forest is growing restless. And high beyond both realms, Nekodake Cat Mountain waits.

Only the cat guardians can cross between the two worlds, complete their sacred Quests, gather powerful Items, face the Yokai, and restore the balance.

Two worlds. Four guardians. One journey to restore what has been broken.

Choose your cat. Cross between worlds. Face the Yokai.

Your legend begins now.

In YOKAI: Cats Between Two Worlds, 2–4 players travel across the Human World and Spirit World, completing Quests, discovering useful Items, facing dangerous Yokai, and preparing for the final journey to Nekodake Cat Mountain.

Every journey brings new decisions.

Which path will you take?

Which Quest will you complete?

When should you use your Item?

Will you spend your Spirit now—or save it for the battle ahead?

And when you finally reach Cat Mountain...

Will you be ready for the Boss?

2–4 Players • 45–90 Minutes • Ages 12+

CHOOSE YOUR CAT. CROSS BETWEEN WORLDS. RESTORE THE BALANCE.

YOUR LEGEND BEGINS NOW.

WELCOME TO THE WORLD OF YOKAI

Your adventure begins in the Human World.

Follow glowing paw-print paths through villages, markets, shrines, and ancient gates.

Gather what you need.

Recover your strength.

Complete your Quests.

But your journey will not remain in the Human World for long.

Beyond the Spirit Gate waits another realm.

A world of moonlit bridges, sacred waters, mysterious temples, wandering spirits, and supernatural danger.

And somewhere between the two worlds lies the Yokai Forest.

Beyond everything stands your final destination:

NEKODAKE CAT MOUNTAIN.

Complete your Quests.

Reach the mountain.

Face the Boss.

Win the battle.

EXPLORE TWO WORLDS

The YOKAI board connects the fiery Human World with the mysterious blue and purple Spirit World.

Every location has a purpose.

Where you stop can change what happens next.

HUMAN WORLD

VILLAGE — REST & PREPARE

The Village gives your guardian a chance to recover.

When you stop here, heal 1 Health.

You can never have more Health than the Heart value shown on your Character Card.

MARKET — TRADE & DISCOVER

The Market is a place of opportunity.

Stop here and draw 1 Item Card.

What you discover may become important later.

SHRINE — BLESSINGS & HEALING

The Shrine offers protection and recovery.

Heal 1 Health when you stop here.

Some Shrine-related Quests may also be completed at this location.

CROSS BETWEEN WORLDS

SPIRIT GATE

The Spirit Gate marks the crossing between the Human World and Spirit World.

Follow the path through the gate and continue your journey into the supernatural realm.

The familiar glow of the Human World begins to disappear.

Moonlight replaces sunlight.

Spirits appear along the paths.

And your adventure continues.

SPIRIT WORLD

TEMPLE — GAIN WISDOM

Stop at the Temple and draw 1 Quest Card.

If you already have an unfinished Quest, you keep only 1 active Quest and place the other at the bottom of the Quest deck.

Sometimes the journey is not only about finding another Quest.

It is about choosing which challenge matters most.

SPIRIT LAKE — RESTORE SPIRIT

Spirit gives your guardian another chance during battle.

If you have already spent your Spirit token, stop at Spirit Lake to restore 1 Spirit.

A guardian may have a maximum of 1 Spirit at a time.

MOON BRIDGE — SWIFT PASSAGE

Follow the connected paw-print path across Moon Bridge as your guardian continues through the Spirit World

THEN THERE IS THE YOKAI FOREST...

The path grows darker.

The lanterns become fewer.

And something begins watching from between the trees.

YOKAI FOREST — DANGER AWAITS

When you stop in Yokai Forest, you must fight.

This is where the peaceful journey across the board becomes a battle.

You will need your guardian's Attack...

and the black Combat Die.

MEET THE GUARDIANS

Every player begins by choosing a Cat Pawn and its matching Character Card.

Your guardian's Character Card contains the abilities and values that define that cat.

For the official Easy / Quick-Start game, two values are especially important:

HEART = HEALTH

Your Heart value determines how much Health your guardian begins with.

Lose Health when danger strikes.

Recover it through locations and Items.

ATTACK

Your Attack value is added to your black Combat Die whenever you fight.

Different guardians bring different strengths to the journey.

And when players are ready for more, the full game uses the additional Character abilities and advanced card effects.

CHOOSING YOUR CAT MEANS CHOOSING HOW YOU WANT TO FACE THE JOURNEY

TEMPLE CAT • SHRINE CAT • VILLAGE CAT • MARKET CAT

Meet some of the guardians who travel between the worlds.

TEMPLE CAT

A mysterious guardian connected to temples, wisdom, and the supernatural.

SHRINE CAT

A guardian at home among sacred places, blessings, and healing.

VILLAGE CAT

Determined, resourceful, and ready to begin the adventure.

MARKET CAT

A clever guardian surrounded by trade, discovery, and useful treasures.

These are only some of the cats waiting inside YOKAI

The game includes 24 Character Card

Traveling across the board is only part of your adventure.

Every guardian has something to accomplish.

That is where Quest Cards come in.

COMPLETE QUESTS

At the beginning of the game, each player draws 1 Quest Card face up.

Keep your active Quest where everyone can see it.

Then complete the task written on the card.

When you succeed:

Complete the objective.

Take the reward.

Keep the Quest as completed.

Draw another Quest.

Your guardian must complete 2 Quests before making the final journey to Nekodake Cat Mountain.

Some Quests send you to specific places.

Others challenge you to defeat a Yokai or accomplish another task during your adventure.

EVERY COMPLETED QUEST BRINGS YOU CLOSER TO CAT MOUNTAIN

DISCOVER POWERFUL ITEMS

A dangerous journey becomes much easier when you have the right Item at exactly the right moment.

Players begin with an Item Card and can discover more throughout the adventure.

Keep your Items in your hand until you need them.

You may use 1 Item Card during your turn.

Follow what the card says.

Then discard it unless the card tells you to keep it.

Items may help you recover Health, survive danger, improve movement, use Spirit, or overcome another challenge.

In the Easy / Quick-Start game, an Item containing a rule your group is not using yet can instead be discarded to heal 1 Health.

You can never heal above your Character's Heart value.

FIND IT.

SAVE IT.

SPIRIT GIVES YOU ANOTHER CHANCE

Every guardian begins the game with 1 Spirit.

Spirit gives you another chance when a combat roll does not go your way.

Spend your Spirit token to:

REROLL THE BLACK COMBAT DIE.

But choose carefully.

You must keep the new result.

Once your Spirit has been spent, travel to Spirit Lake to restore it.

A guardian can have a maximum of 1 Spirit.

ONE TOKEN. ONE SECOND CHANCE.

TWO DICE. TWO PURPOSES.

YOKAI uses two standard D6 dice.

Each has a different job.

WHITE DIE = MOVEMENT

Roll the white Movement Die during your normal turn.

Move your Cat Pawn that many connected paw-print spaces.

BLACK DIE = COMBAT

Roll the black Combat Die whenever you fight.

Add your guardian's Attack value.

One die carries you through the worlds.

The other decides what happens when danger finds you.

HOW DO YOU PLAY?

The basic turn in YOKAI is designed to be easy to remember.

Every normal turn follows the same four steps.

1. ROLL

Roll the white Movement Die.

2. MOVE

Move your Cat Pawn that many connected paw-print spaces.

If you reach a fork, choose which path you want to take.

More than one Cat may share the same space.

3. DO THE PLACE

Look at the location where your Cat stopped.

Follow that location's rule.

You may heal.

Draw a card.

Restore Spirit.

Complete a Quest.

Or face danger.

4. ITEM?

You may use 1 Item Card.

Then your turn ends.

The next guardian begins their turn.

ROLL → MOVE → DO THE PLACE → ITEM?

Simple to learn.

Different every journey.

ONE WHOLE TURN

Here is an example.

Your guardian rolls a 3 on the white Movement Die.

Move your Cat Pawn 3 connected paw-print spaces.

You stop at Yokai Forest.

That means you must fight.

Roll the black Combat Die.

You roll a 4.

Your guardian has Attack +2.

4 + 2 = 6

You win the Yokai fight.

Draw 1 Item Card.

If your active Quest says “Defeat a Yokai,” you complete that Quest now.

You may then use 1 Item if you want.

Your turn ends.

The next guardian begins.

One simple turn can move your Quest, your Items, your Health, and your journey forward all at once.

FACE THE YOKAI 

Combat in the Quick-Start game is easy to understand.

Roll the:

BLACK COMBAT DIE + YOUR ATTACK

6 OR MORE = WIN

Defeat the Yokai.

Draw 1 Item Card.

And if your active Quest requires you to defeat a Yokai, complete it.

5 OR LESS = LOSE 1 HEALTH

Your journey continues.

But every Health token matters.

And if the roll goes badly...

Remember your Spirit.

You may spend it for one reroll.

SOMETIMES ONE ROLL CHANGES EVERYTHING.

WHAT IF YOU LOSE ALL YOUR HEALTH?

Even the bravest guardian may need to retreat.

If your Health reaches zero:

Move your Cat Pawn back to Village.

At the start of your next turn:

Refill all your Health.

Then return to the journey.

The adventure is not over.

AND THEN THERE ARE THE BOSSES...

Ordinary Yokai are dangerous.

The creatures waiting at the end of your journey are something else entirely.

Four Boss Cards await.

THE GIANT SERPENT

ANCIENT OF CHAOS

THE NINE-TAILED QUEEN

EMPRESS OF ILLUSIONS

THE SPIRIT DRAGON

GUARDIAN OF THE GATE

THE CURSED NEKOMATA

SHADOW OF BETRAYAL

Reach Nekodake Cat Mountain after completing 2 Quests.

Then draw 1 Boss Card.

For the official Easy / Quick-Start game, use the Boss's Attack target.

Roll the black Combat Die.

Add your guardian's Attack.

Meet or beat the target and:

YOU WIN THE GAME.

Miss?

Lose 1 Health.

Try again on your next turn.

The Quick-Start rules intentionally ignore the Boss Health, Special Ability, Defeat Reward, and Defeat Penalty while players learn the core game.

The full game can bring those advanced card effects into the adventure.

YOUR FINAL DESTINATION

The journey has taken you across both worlds.

You have survived danger.

You have completed your Quests.

Now only one challenge remains.

NEKODAKE CAT MOUNTAIN

To win the game:

COMPLETE 2 QUESTS

↓

REACH NEKODAKE CAT MOUNTAIN

↓

DRAW A BOSS

↓

DEFEAT THE BOSS

WIN THE GAME.

Simple destination.

Dangerous journey.

WHAT'S IN THE BOX?

Your YOKAI game includes the components needed to begin the adventure:

1 Board Mat

24 Character Cards

20 Quest Cards

20 Item Cards

4 Boss Cards

4 Player Pawns / Miniatures

Health & Spirit Tokens

1 White Movement Die

1 Black Combat Die

1 Rulebook

1 Game Box

Every component is designed to feel like part of the same world—from the fiery Human World to the mysterious blue and purple Spirit World.

EASY TO START. MORE TO DISCOVER.

YOKAI includes official Easy / Quick-Start Rules designed to teach the core game in simple steps.

Players can begin with the essential mechanics:

Health

Attack

Movement

Quests

Items

Spirit

Combat

and the journey to Cat Mountain.

The full game then expands the experience using the remaining Character abilities and advanced card effects.

You do not need to understand every symbol and every ability before rolling your first die.

Start with the adventure.

Learn as you play.

Then discover more.

BUILT FOR DIFFERENT JOURNEYS

Your destination may stay the same.

Your journey does not have to.

Choose another guardian.

Draw different Quests.

Discover different Items.

Take another path at a fork.

Use your Spirit at another moment.

Reach Yokai Forest with more—or less—Health.

Prepare differently for your final battle.

Then discover which Boss waits at Cat Mountain.

ONE BOARD.

TWO WORLDS.

MANY JOURNEYS.

FROM IDEA TO TABLETOP

YOKAI has already moved beyond being only an idea.

The board has been developed.

The Character Cards have been created.

The Quest Cards have been created.

The Item Cards have been created.

The Boss Cards have been developed.

The player pawns have been designed.

The rulebook has been developed.

The game box has taken shape.

And a physical prototype allows us to continue testing the adventure on an actual tabletop.

Cards can be shuffled.

Dice can be rolled.

Pawns can follow the paths.

Quests can be completed.

Bosses can be fought.

And the game can continue to be tested and refined before production

WHY KICKSTARTER?

Creating a physical tabletop game requires much more than creating artwork.

It requires:

Playtesting

Balancing

Proofreading

Final component preparation

Manufacturing

Packaging

Quality control

Freight

and:

Fulfillment

Kickstarter gives us the opportunity to take YOKAI from its current prototype stage toward professional production.

Your support helps us continue that journey.

YOU'RE HELPING BRING TWO WORLDS TO THE TABLE.

THE ROAD AHEAD

Following a successful campaign, YOKAI will continue through several important stages.

FINAL DEVELOPMENT

Continue playtesting, balancing, proofreading, and checking every game component.

PRE-PRODUCTION

Prepare final manufacturer-ready files.

Review production samples.

Make any necessary final corrections.

MANUFACTURING

Production begins for the:

Board Mats

Cards

Player Pawns

Tokens

Dice

Rulebooks

and:

Game Boxes

QUALITY CONTROL

Finished components and packaging will be reviewed before fulfillment.

FREIGHT

Completed games move from manufacturing toward fulfillment.

FULFILLMENT

Backer orders are prepared and shipped.

ESTIMATED DELIVERY: APRIL 2027

We have deliberately allowed time in the schedule for testing, production, quality control, freight, and fulfillment.

Backers will receive updates as YOKAI moves through each stage.

[INSERT PRODUCTION ROADMAP / TIMELINE IMAGE HERE]

SHIPPING

Shipping will be charged separately where indicated in the selected reward.

Final shipping costs may depend on:

Destination

Package weight

Freight conditions

Fulfillment costs

Taxes

Customs

and other destination-specific charges.

International backers may also be responsible for VAT, customs duties, taxes, or import charges required by their country.

We will keep backers informed as production and fulfillment plans are finalized.

THE WORLD OF YOKAI

YOKAI brings together the things that inspired this adventure:

Cats

Fantasy

Japanese-inspired atmosphere

The Human World

The Spirit World

Exploration

Quests

Items

Supernatural creatures

Boss battles

and a mysterious journey connected by glowing paw-print paths.

From the first roll of the white die to the final black-die battle at Cat Mountain, we want the game to feel like stepping into another world.

Or rather...

TWO WORLDS.

THANK YOU FOR ENTERING OUR WORLD

Every independent tabletop game starts with an idea.

Then comes the work of turning that idea into something people can actually place on a table.

Every pledge helps.

Every share helps.

Every comment helps.

And every person who tells another cat lover or tabletop gamer about YOKAI helps this project move one step closer to production.

Whether you found us because you love tabletop games...

Fantasy...

Yokai...

Or simply because you saw four unusual cats standing between two mysterious worlds...

Thank you for being here.

JOIN THE ADVENTURE

The Human World is waiting.

The Spirit World is calling.

The Yokai Forest is restless.

And Nekodake Cat Mountain stands in the distance.

CHOOSE YOUR CAT.

ROLL THE DIE.

FOLLOW THE PAW-PRINT PATH.

COMPLETE YOUR QUESTS.

DISCOVER YOUR ITEMS.

USE YOUR SPIRIT.

FACE THE YOKAI.

REACH CAT MOUNTAIN.

DEFEAT THE BOSS.

RESTORE THE BALANCE.

YOUR LEGEND BEGINS NOW.

YOKAI: CATS BETWEEN TWO WORLDS

2–4 Players • 45–90 Minutes • Ages 12+

Estimated Delivery: APRIL 2027