Overview
At a glance
Is this game right for my group?
ABG editorial scores on a 1–5 scale.
Harder to teach
High replayability
Highly interactive
Scales well
Deep strategy
How it plays
How does it play?
Kingpin is a tactical board game for 2 players, aged 18 and above. The estimated gameplay time is 15 – 30 minutes.
Core mechanisms
Key systems that shape the decisions players make.
Grid Movement
Move pieces between adjacent spaces on a regular grid.
Variable Player Powers
Each player has different abilities, restrictions, or strategic advantages.
Hand Management
Time and sequence a limited hand of cards to preserve future options.
Tile Placement
Place tiles to build a shared or personal spatial arrangement.
Read the full game description
Kingpin is a tactical board game for 2 players, aged 18 and above. The estimated gameplay time is 15 – 30 minutes. Participants play the roles of the eponymous kingpins – mafia bosses. The objective of the game is to defeat the enemy mafia, led by the opponent. In Kingpin, players choose between three different crime syndicates: the Italian Mafia, the Russian Mob, and the Yakuza. Each organization has different pieces, changing the style of each game. The Yakuza prefers quiet assassinations, the Russian Mob overcomes its opponents with sheer firepower, and the Mafia specializes in swift drive-by shootings. The game "neo noir" theme borrows heavily from cult gangster movies and graphic novels, such as the works of Quentin Tarantino or Frank Miller. Three important features of the game are: a two-sided game board featuring two different maps, three victory conditions available for the players, and the lack of randomness during play. The authors describe it as a fast-paced game of nerves, somewhere between a Mexican standoff and a game of chess where the rooks and bishops run around with Tommy-guns. Because of the suggestive theme, the publisher considered this title unsuitable for children. The game contains the following components: - double-sided board, - 24 gangster tiles, - 3 action tokens, - 12 fire tokens, - game rules.