Skip to Content
 

Quarto: Don't go there

6 replies [Last post]
Anonymous

WHAT is it about this game that got it awards?

Got the game - played it - move on to backgammon quite quickly.

Basically, you have a 4x4 board and sixteen pieces - the pieces have 4 each of round, square, dark, light, tall, or short, with half being "solid" and half having a small hole drilled in top.

Each player gives a piece to the other who must place it on the board.

A player wins by getting 4 of any feature in a row - tall, short, dark, light, hollow, solid, square, or round.

Hey, sounded good on the box, and I was distracted by all those awards.

It said 10-15 minutes per game.

We finished 3 in ten minutes. As we bought it from Wizards of the Coast, currently closing all stores, I guess we'll just give it to our 2- and 4-year old kids.. to do whatever they like.

Bummer. Sorry I don't have more edge-of-your-seat moments but this game is a real dog. (Ok, it's a fake dog, but looks convincing.)

The highlight was when my wife and I looked at each other and kind of said "Uh.... well,.... whatever." No, wait, sorry. My mistake. The highlight was putting the little felt feet on the board.

Stay away, or try on paper first. you can find plenty of sites with rules, and few where it's playable online.

Yuck.

Reviewed by
Andrew Turner
4/18/04

Anonymous
Quarto: Don't go there

Wow it's interesting that you did not have a good time with this game. Because everyone I have had play it loved it. it takes about three games before you really start to understand it. There are nail biting moments most of the games I have played. It’s about the best example of what an accessible abstract game should be. The basic strategy is that when ever you make a possibility (three in a row that have something in common) you give the opponent a piece that will not complete any possibility on the board. If there are no more pieces that will not complete a possibility use the piece you were given to kill some possibilities to free some pieces so that you do not give your opponent the win. I hope you give it a second chance, its really a good game.

Anonymous
Quarto: Don't go there

Well, I may give it another chance... what you've described is what we were expecting, but quite frankly, it felt quite like it would be a mistake when someone won rather than strategy.

All the online games I played were draws.

Anonymous
Quarto: Don't go there

Then it seams like you were not looking hard enough, it's perfectly fine to not enjoy a game that makes you look deep as games have many more uses than competition. But eventually you can learn how to set people up for giving you the victory. As for draws try playing with the advanced rules in which blocks of four pieces with one common attribute also count as Quarto this makes it nearly impossible to draw.

Anonymous
Quarto: Don't go there

I just wanted to say I'm with Super on this one, I like Quarto quite a bit. Fun little game. My favorite abstract game is still Dvonn, but Quarto is fun.

Yekrats
Offline
Joined: 08/11/2008
Re: Quarto: Don't go there

I played Quarto for the first time a few weeks ago, and I admit I really like it. There is definately strategy in looking to see not only how the board is, but also what is left in players' stockpiles. Because of its short playtime, I think it makes a great filler while waiting for other people to finish another game.

-- Scott S.

ensor
Offline
Joined: 08/23/2008
Quarto: Don't go there

I found Quarto back in '98, and while I haven't played in years, I remember it being much more interesting than the tic-tac-toe idea it was based on, and would be willing to play it again.

A quick google search brought up this page, http://ssel.vub.ac.be/Members/LucGoossens/quarto/quartotext.htm, which says optimal play will bring about a draw, nothing about strategies for play, just talking about the end-result, given that you have time to search every possible move for the best.

Syndicate content


forum | by Dr. Radut