Game Spotlight! (#1: Blokus)

Hi Friends!

Last Saturday, I mentioned kicking off a weekly series

revolving around one of my newly inherited hobbies...

BOARD GAMES!

Tanner - my brand spankin' new husband - loves them.

No really, he LOVES them.

And since he began collecting them last year,

we've acquired close to 70 crazy games (and expansions).

Whoa. I know :P

So...

I decided to begin sharing the hobby with you.

Why?

I don't know... 

maybe you'll feel inspired 

to have a family game night!

Or some intellectual competitive couple time!

Or maybe you're just bored 

and reading this blog instead 

of doing homework or laundry! 

(Story of my life!)

Anywho, I figured I'd begin 

with a pretty fun, 

simple 

and easy game:

BLOKUS.

Blokus is a pretty dang 

sweeto game.

It's short,

simple, 

and familiar... 

in a tetris sort of way.

GAME GOAL:

Basically, you and your opponent(s)

take turns laying different shaped tiles 

onto a grid-like board.

You want to use up as many of your tiles as you can

while simultaneously blocking other players

from being able to lay their tiles down!

The person with the least 

amount of tiles leftover wins!

It gets pretty competitive!

We have 2 Versions:

 1. Blokus Duo 

(2 player, travel size version) and

2. Blokus (2-4 players)

*I prefer Blokus Duo... easier to bring places, same game!*

Here's what's in the box...

1. Instructions

2. A grid game board

3. 2 bags of colored translucent tiles

4. Epic Joy. 

(Not really, but I liked the sound of it.)

See it in Action....

Step One:

Find a dashingly handsome opponent.

Step Two:

Examine your pieces!

Decide which one you want to start with!

Notice all the different shapes?

Tiles composed of more squares are best to get rid of early on,

as they'll count against you more at the end of the game...

 For example, this piece would be worth 5 points because

it's made up of 5 joined squares... 

That's how you count the value of your tiles! 

When the game is over, tiles left unplayed count against you,

(think golf! the lower your points, the better!) 

Step Three:

 BLOKUS BATTLE, COMMENCE!

Each player takes a turn laying down a piece.

Each players' first piece much sit on one of the 2

grid spots on the board 

with a circle on it (see above).

From there, 

you can place your tiles down 

AS LONG AS

they touch the corner (and ONLY the corner)

of another one of your tiles.

 

Notice how only the corners of the oranges ones touch?

Same with the purple?

Yep.

You got it.

So the game continues

on and on,

one opponent trying to block another

All in the name of fun...

Tanner was purple.

I was orange.

It was brutal.

Step Four:

Ending the game...

When both players no longer have room

to use their remaining pieces,

the game is over.

To decide who wins,

count the number of squares 

in your remainging tiles.

The person with the lowest number wins!

Above, Tanner had 7 points 

(see his leftover purple pieces 

to the side of the game?)

to my 20... 

(I was orange.)

So, Purple wins!

Yay Tanner!

Anywho...

Blokus Duo is pretty neat.

We play it a lot, honestly.

We even played it while 

waiting to be seated at a 

Mexican Restaurant in Tucson 

last week!

Good times.

BLOKUS. 

The BIG Version.

Blokus (the larger version) is the same game,

only with the ability 

to play with 4,

that's right FOUR players.

Notice all the COLORS!?!? WOOOO!!!

So, yeah, the same concept applies to game play

with 4 players

except...

 when you begin the game,

instead of playing on the grid spots with the circles 

(as mentioned above)

Each player starts in the corner.

Look at the lonely blue tile!

Players take turns,

making the grid 

a rainbow of awesomeness

while being rude (optional) and blocking each other.

:P

It looks like a rainbow virus.

And this is the end game.

Sooooo....

I give this game

2 thumbs up.

It's easy,

chill,

and fun to play, 

especially when you're slightly comatose

and don't crave a game of intense strategy.

Oh!!!!

I almost forgot!

Here's 

Tanner's 

TWO CENTS!

Blokus is an abstract strategy game much in the same realm as Chess, or Checkers. Abstract strategy games are well known for supporting 2 players, and Blokus is no exception. While the 4 player version of Blokus is fun, I think Blokus Duo is more enjoyable. You can plan your moves better and only have to respond to one opponent. It's a head to head battle to the death! (This may be slightly overstated)

Generally I prefer to play longer and more complex games, but for an easy and quick game, Blokus is hard to beat. Jessie and I can play three or four games in less than an hour and not feel like our brains hurt afterwords. If you like chess, checkers, or backgammon; you should definitely check out Blokus. 

WHERE TO BUY:

To buy the Blokus Duo game ($15)

I recommend going here.

Or for the larger version, here!

Also, you can check out thrift shops!

(Seriously! We thrifted 

the large version for $15!)

Thanks for reading!

Now go have fun!

:D