Boar-deer-butterfly GO!

April 16, 2010 12:39 PM

Hanafuda (Koi Koi) is a flash game that plays with the hanafuda deck of cards. (As a trivia side note, hanafuda cards were the beginning of Nintendo.) Once you're familiar with the deck, you can play Minhato, a java game that uses the same cards.

My brother sent me a pack of the cards and told me to learn to play Go-stop, but there don't seem to be any places to do that online anymore, at least without weird registrations.

posted by klangklangston (19 comments total)

I love Hanafuda, but find that particular flash game maddening at times. I wish there was a multiplayer version for the Xbox or even just online that casual players could join. I'd also like to learn more about variants other than koi koi. Minhato seems like an interesting start.
posted by TheWhiteSkull at 12:50 PM on April 16, 2010

I played a bit of Koi-Koi on Nintendo's Clubhouse Games thing. It's interesting, but infuriating to remember all the card combinations and names. It's also a bit too dependent on raw luck.
posted by JHarris at 12:57 PM on April 16, 2010

Nintendo was founded in 1889? I love hearing about high-tech companies that were founded in the 19th century.

I like that Nokia was founded in 1865.
posted by I_pity_the_fool at 1:02 PM on April 16, 2010

I LOVE this game. And the hanafuda decks are gorgeous. If you can find a nice one, the cards are thick and they snap nicely.
posted by iamkimiam at 1:03 PM on April 16, 2010

Wow. I came to MeFi thinking, "Man, I really want to play an online game. I think I'll go to MeFi and looking something up in the tags!" Lo and behold...
posted by bettafish at 1:46 PM on April 16, 2010

Plus my favorite SamSho character plays Hanfuda.
posted by fleacircus at 1:54 PM on April 16, 2010

Go-Stop is a lot of fun. But I can't imagine playing it online. Half the fun is throwing your card down so hard it makes a THWAK sound.
posted by cazoo at 2:36 PM on April 16, 2010

I have a Hanafuda deck -- they are gorgeous -- thanks for the link...
posted by Alexandra Kitty at 3:41 PM on April 16, 2010

I've lost it unfortunately, but I used to have a hanafuda deck that was based on yokai, the traditional Japanese ghosts and goblins. Absolutely beautiful, but I don't know where to find them again. That, and I'd forgotten the rules. Thanks for the post!
posted by Ghidorah at 4:30 PM on April 16, 2010

AlexandraKitty, I see that you're in Hamilton. Would you be interested in meeting up for a Koi Koi session some weekend? I've been looking for people to play with.
posted by TheWhiteSkull at 4:31 PM on April 16, 2010

Here is the plaque on the door of the building where Nintendo was founded.
posted by Obscure Reference at 5:07 PM on April 16, 2010

Whoops, it didn't take my link. Let's try again.
posted by Obscure Reference at 5:09 PM on April 16, 2010

klang, you just live for fun flash fridays, don't ya?
posted by beelzbubba at 6:05 PM on April 16, 2010

If you like hanafuda, you may enjoy this film.
posted by dubitable at 8:31 PM on April 16, 2010

Wow, I remember my dad playing with these cards all the time when I was a kid. I wonder if he still has them...
posted by fizzzzzzzzzzzy at 6:41 AM on April 17, 2010

It's a bit too dependent on raw luck.
posted by Taylor1976 at 8:02 AM on April 17, 2010

Does anybody have a link for somewhere to buy actual Hanafuda decks online in English?
posted by TooFewShoes at 8:35 AM on April 17, 2010

It's a bit too dependent on raw luck.

That's for sure. After you beat the game (by reaching 50 points) in the first link, you get to see the computer's hand and the top card on the deck. Despite that advantage, I'm still having a hard time beating the computer a second time.
posted by tksh at 12:13 PM on April 18, 2010

Heh. I thought that was a glitch and reloaded.

But complaining that this is too much dependent on luck is kind of like saying that Yahtzee is too luck driven too. I mean, sure, yeah, but there are definitely strategies that make the most of things (similar to euchre, I guess).
posted by klangklangston at 12:22 PM on April 18, 2010