Blokus Strategy Board Game

Product Description
Amazon.com Product Description
Fun for both kids and adults, Blokus is a strategy board game that challenges spatial thinking. Bright colors and simple rules make it ideal for ages five and up, but adults will certainly be engrossed by this unique and challenging game.

Not Your Average Board Game
Blokus encourages creative thinking and has received a Mensa award for promoting healthy brain activity. The goal of this game is for players to fit all of their pieces onto the board. When placing a piece it may not lie adjacent to the player's other pieces, but must be placed touching at least one corner of their pieces already on the board. The player who gets rid of all of their tiles first is the winner and strategic thinking helps as you block moves from your opponent. Blokus sometimes comes to an end because there are no more possible moves.

Four players make this abstract game especially fast and exciting; however, it can be just as fun for two or three players. Blokus has come up with a number of different ways to play the game to make it more thrilling when playing with less than four players. Draft Blokus allows a player to use more than one color and Reverse Blokus reverses the entire game so that the person who places the least amount of tiles on the board is the winner. It can even be played in a solitaire version when one player attempts to place all of their pieces in a single sitting. A game of Blokus typically lasts a 30 minutes. As a practical feature, raised edges on the board help keep the tiles in place and allow convenient clean-up. This game includes 84 pieces in four vibrant colors, an instruction guide, and one gameboard with 400 squares.

Blokus is simple to understand, but the game's complexity is revealed shortly after everyone begins to play. It can be addictive, even for those not normally into abstract games. Blokus is a catalyst for spatial thinking, as players form images in their mind before placing the pieces on the board. Children and adults can play together for hours of competitive family fun. As Europe's 2003 Game of the Year, Blokus is adored by many and even played in professional tournaments.

What's in the Box
84 pieces in four colors, gameboard with 400 squares, and an instruction guide.

Once a piece has been placed on the board it can't be moved, so plan your moves carefully.

Adding to the game's challenges, each new piece must touch at least one other piece of the same color, but only at the corners.

Product Description

Grades K and up. Europe's 2003 game of the year! Develops logic and spacial perception while kids learn to be tactical. Players take turns placing pieces on their board, each starting from their corner. Each new piece must touch at least one other piece of the same color, but only at the corners! The goal is to get rid of all your pieces. The game ends when all players are blocked from laying down any more of their pieces. Includes one gameboard with 400 squares, 84 game pieces in four bright translucent colors, and an instruction guide.

product review by Dorothy L. Greynolds "game mom"
This is a GREAT game!! I enjoy finding visual based games because they are easier for our younger daughter to play and enjoy with us. We also don't have a lot of space for games so I only buy ones I think we will really enjoy and that aren't similar to other games or toys we already own. I also try to avoid ones that require batteries.

I bought this game a few days ago. My older daughter and I decided on the travel version because the two of us could play it. We brought it home and couldn't stop playing it. One of the things we love best is that we can play it in 10-15 minutes. We play it before she leaves for school and doesn't have time for a longer game. We also play it about any time we can! We have dozens of games at home but really love this one. She calls it the Addicted Game.

We have thought of optional ways to play it. One strategy is to place our pieces so they fit as tightly on the game board, leaving the fewest unoccupied squares possible. We still place them so the pieces of the same color don't touch, as in the instructions. We pick our pieces according to their shape and how well they work with the other pieces on the board, rather than blocking the other player. Another way we like to play is to divide the game board in half and place our own pieces as closely together as possible.

The only complaint I have about this game is that it could have been designed better for travel. A slide out tray to contain the pieces or a flip open type board like Travel Othello or Travel Scrabble would have been nice. Then it would be self contained and not require the box. As it is, you need to take it in the box, with the two compartments for storing the game pieces. I would take it a lot more places if I didn't need the box because it's not made for wear and tear of travel.