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?
San Quentin Kings is a resource management game based on the economic system of an American prison. Be the leader of your own prison gang directing members through a series of fights that gain control of different aspects of the prison economy.
Core mechanisms
Key systems that shape the decisions players make.
Read the full game description
San Quentin Kings is a resource management game based on the economic system of an American prison. Be the leader of your own prison gang directing members through a series of fights that gain control of different aspects of the prison economy. Controlling the economy gets players respect and other important advantages. Gain the most respect and you will be crowned the King of San Quentin. The game is played in 3 rounds or 'years'. Each year the players have a number of different actions to choose from. Acquire prison knives, get commissary, recruit new members; each year as leader of your prison gang you will have to decide how to best use your members to win the most fights. The more fights you win the more prison resources you control. The more resources you control the more respect you will gain. Be careful or your members will end up in solitary confinement or worse, in the grave! Even if you find yourself running the most powerful gang in the San Quentin beware of the final riot. Who knows what treachery the other gangs may be planning... You can be sure they seek your demise. At games end the players are scored based on what they managed to control in the prison. The more aspects of the prison economy your gang controls the more power and respect you gain. The player's gang with the most respect wins! San Quentin Kings is 3-5 players and runs 90-120 minutes. Ages 14 and up!