Blokus Strategy Board Game Reviews

• Great Fun and Educational Too!

  
  By A2R1UT2C3BIBLA on 2004-10-30
  I originally bought this game for my classroom to help my students develop thinking skills. When it first arrived, I took the game home to figure out how to play it before introducing it to my students--and I was hooked! My own children are ages 10 and 11 and they love the game (we are buying a game for home), but I teach students up to age 18 and they enjoy the game just as much. Educationally, it helps younger students develop a better understanding of spatial relations and planning ahead. For older students (and adults) it helps to develop various strategy skills.
  
  Unlike most educational games, the rules are simple and once you've played it through one time (or watched it through one time) all your effort can go into plotting your moves. The game doesn't run out of possibilities, either; every game is different, even if you play with the same people over and over.
  
  As an educator, parent, and game enthusiast, this was money well spent.
  
  

• our favorite game!

  
  By A13AJ6ZTP7JX91 on 2004-07-29
  A friend, who knows we love games in our family, bought us this. Well, within a day we all were hooked. my 5 year old and 12 year old can play with my husband and me and we all are challenged and have a blast! i bought a set to bring to our family vacation home, and my sister in law and i were up until midnight every nite for a week playing this game with whomever we could snag to play it with us!! even really little kids have fun just playing with the pieces, not actually playing the game. the only caveat I have is DON'T LOSE ANY PIECES!!!!! all of the pieces are critical to the game.. that is a real challenge in our household!!
  
  

• Really great game for all ages!

  
  By A1CXQE2WWYUDCL on 2006-07-03
  I only bought this game because it was recommended to me time and time again. It looked boring and simplistic, but I figured there must be something I wasn't seeing. And there was! It is a great game! All of my kids can play it and challenge each other and me. This game does not necessarily favor the oldest(and supposedly wisest?) player. My seven year-old can beat the pants of me.
  
  It also gets the brain working in non-traditional ways. You have to look at the grid in unique ways. The pieces aren't lined up in rows and columns like most games. You connect pieces by the corners. So sometimes you can connect a piece in an area that looks like it is totally bocked by your opponent.
  
  And of course there is the strategy... I still haven't decided which is the best piece to start off with.
  
  The game also takes a nice length of time, not too long and not too short.
  
  

• Here's how to play 2-player and 3-player

  
  By AHT8889HK6MGO on 2007-09-22
  If you skip over 5-star praising reviews, you'll find from the 4-star ones that you really need all 4 people to enjoy this game. With 2 or 3 players, the end of the game is always like this: player 1 wins, players 2 and 3 end up with one piece each that they can lay down if you let them finish the last round. You can call it a tie or you can call it "1st player wins", either way this is not a lot of fun.
  
  Don't get upset though. There is a way to make it fun for 2 and 3 players. The creators didn't think hard enough; but you can easily mod the board, and all you need is a thin permanent marker (like Sharpie).
  
  The general idea is to reduce the number of squares on the board so that players would run out of board space before they run out of pieces on hand.
  
  So you take a marker, and you draw a line one square away from each of the four edges so that the 20x20 board becomes an 18x18 board. This is your 3-player board. When in 3-player, players are not allowed to place their pieces in the 1-square frame you just drew.
  
  For 2 players, make another frame, this time 1 square away from the already reduced 3-player board. So you end up with a 16x16 board that is perfect for 2-player. Believe it or not, you can still get a tie on this board, but very rarely, and both players need to be quite creative and need some luck to get to a tie.
  
  Another 2-player variation is that each player plays for 2 of the 4 colors (for example, player 1 for green and red, and player 2 for yellow and blue). Players still take turns and lay down one piece at a time, but you choose which of the 2 colors to play with when it's your turn. This 2x2 game is quite hard. Every time I play this variation it makes me feel my brain is about to explode (because there are too many choices and you only have one turn at a time!). I recommend trying this variation when both players already have enough experience with the regular game.
  
  
  

• Game of the Decade!

  
  By A1EQ5D5JRSW23K on 2006-11-24
  I bought this game with the great hope of entertaining and be entertained at the Thanksgiving night. At first no one wanted to play the game, except my 3-year old daughter. I changed the rules of the game so that she and I both could enjoy it. We literally played it as if we were playing Tetris on the computer. She had great fun and so did I. Then my sister-in-law's husband decided to play and we played the two-player version and it was a blast! I can't wait to play with 4 people. I'm sure the dynamics will improve on an already great game.
  
  Blokus is a board game onto which tiles of different shapes made up of squares, or units, not unlike the shapes seen in the famous computer game called Tetris. The shapes come in four groups and identified by a different color: red, green, yellow, and blue. Each player starts at a corner and places a shape. A shape can only touch the corner edge of another shape of the same color. Each player places a shape in this fashion until all the shapes are finished, or it is impossible to place another shape. Players do their best to prevent their opponent(s) to place any more of their shapes, while attempting to place all of their pieces.
  
  The game between two people takes approximately 20 minutes and decisions made early on bear fruition later in the game to many surprises and challenges.
  
  Player with the least amount of units not used is the winner.
  
  The colored shapes on the board create interesting mosaics and even have artistic appeal as well as mental gymnastics.
  
  This is a very clever game and I hope you enjoy it as much as I am.
  
  
• Don't worry about losing pieces...
  By A1JW6OF8LYB41F on 2006-09-29
  This is a great game. I noticed that someone mentioned their concern about losing pieces. Our three-year old lost a piece shortly after we got this game. I simply called the company and they sent me a replacement free of charge. They are great to work with. Enjoy!
  
  
• Most fun game after chess
  By A2GVOA64RHV0U6 on 2006-08-29
  Blokus is a combination of Tetris, chess and Chinese Checkers. It is incredibly easy to learn, and as tactically challenging as chess (I am an intermediate chess player). With four players, it is as riling as Monopoly ("why are you after ME all the time????"). The two player version is more calculable, as the pieces are fewer. I highly recommend both the 4 and 2 player versions of the game.
  
  
• "Travel Blokus" is a misnomer...
  By A1JW510CACY758 on 2006-04-15
  In Europe, this game is called Blokus Duo, and it's actually the two-person version of the four-person game Blokus. The pieces are identical, except there are only two sets, not four, so the board is smaller too. So yes, you can travel with it - but it's ideal to play at home when there are only two of you.
  
  Personally, I prefer this version to standard Blokus - there isn't the "gang-up" factor that standard Blokus has. I almost took away one star because the game is so addicting, but that wouldn't be fair to the game.
  
  
• Excellent Game - very addictive!!!!
  By A2URBM5TA0OUVB on 2006-11-07
  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.
  
  
• Just missed 5 stars
  By ACRZXMM05C19T on 2005-08-20
  We have been playing Blockus since we got it...unfortunately, it really can only be enjoyed when four people play....the directions for 2 or 3 players require you to play TWO positions each or to share the remaining , untaken position...and play is then pretty awful...but what a game with four players..fun, strategic, lots of offense and defense all played an a great looking and feeling board...we have even taken to playing in the pool...with the board on a pool raft (all parts are plastic..). The game also depends on each player having 21 very specific and individually different playing pieces...and some are very small and I live in fear that one piece will be lost and the game rendered completely unplayable...except for the two aforementioned caveats, I love the game and it would have goteen five stars...
  
  
• FUN and very different
  By A34TMG18DABIEJ on 2006-05-29
  This game is easy to learn in a few minutes. My 4 1/2 year old son learned the rules quickly and could play with me the first try. Becoming an expert is much harder though! The game is different each time we play, and always challenging and fun. Best of all Blokus isn't like any game I've played before. You have to plan ahead like chess, but the game changes so fast you're always changing your strategy on the fly. Blokus can be played very quickly with a young child, or at a more thoughtful pace with an adult or older child. All in all Blokus is great, and ADDICTING the way a good game should be.
  
  
• Challenging for the whole family
  By A3EWWPTM33GHY9 on 2006-08-06
  We love these strategy games like this. Anyone can win. It is definitely more fun to play when you have 3 or 4 players. It is not a challenge with only 2 unless you each play two colors - not the ideal way to play. Great family game for all asges.
  
  
• Simply Brilliant.
  By A32EBQDMOPEJHE on 2005-11-09
  Ok, it's not thta brilliant, but it is way fun. This is a light, fast, easy to explain abstract strategy game. There is no theme. THis game is great for the non gamer because it takes all of about 30 seconds to explain. Now people could take forever with thier turn and slow the game down, but I have played it many times, and have yet to see someone do that except toward the end. Even then, they are only to see if thier is any place they go. The best part of the game is that it makes you feel smart playing it. Who knew they could come up with a mind game that is actually addicting and fun? I guess the maker of tetris knew it.
  
  Bottom Line: There is more strategy than you would think. It is way fun and fast. get this game for you and your family.
  
  
• Great game for everyone
  By A11ZGU60FPO4YE on 2005-10-23
  I bought this game for my kids originally as a way to spend time together as well as develop thinking skills. The great surprise is that it suits even kids with learning disabilities since there is no reading involved. Last winter vacation the age span at the table playing spanned 4 generations! And everyone was having fun.
  
  This game is also great to play with people from more than one country. No one is at a disadvantage since the game is not dependent on language fluency.
  
  [...] where you'll find people from all over the world playing. (I've used on online translator to chat with people in both German and Spanish.) Have fun!
  
  
  
• Blokus is FANTASTIC!
  By A1GQO7J1A7EYTP on 2004-11-14
  I saw this game on NBC's Today Show almost a year ago and have been looking for it ever since. Finally found it and WE LOVE IT! Our family has played this game nearly every night since receiving it in the mail. The rules of the game are simple and CAN be learned in less than a minute, as advertised. It is a tricky game that requires stategy and forethought, but it is a great challenge and alot of fun. A great choice!
  
  
• Addicting...
  By A1QTHVA826XEOS on 2007-01-02
  This game has literally taken over my life. We are the type of family that does not eat in front of the TV or play during meals. Rather, we enjoy conversation during dinnertime. We now find ourselves eating WHILE playing "Travel" Blokus. (The plastic pieces are easily washable). My five-year-old picked up the game quickly, since there is only one rule - your pieces must only touch at the corners. While this seems simplistic there is so much strategy behind each move. If you think you know where you are going to put your next piece, you better have a back up plan, or seven, because your opponent can inadvertently or strategically kill your game plan. It is challenging for adults and children and is highly recommended to teach your child spatial reasoning (will later help them in the area of mathematics) and is somewhat similar to Tetris in the way that you have to look at a shape and understand how it can fit in a space by manipulating the shape (upside-down, backward, sideways, etc.)
  
  Everyone who I have played this game with (other adults) was not been able to play just once, or even ten times for that matter. I now have friends dropping by just for a game. The reason I went with the "Travel" version, which as someone pointed out is not really a travel version as it is a two-person version, is that the regular Blokus game is only for 2 OR 4 players and from the reviews I read, the two-player game on the regular Blokus game is not as fun and challenging. With a smaller board this game is truly meant for two-players, and is usually the amount of people who want to play a game in our house. If we ever have four players in our house the next player challenges the winner of the previous game.
  As a side note, my five-year-old wins about 50% of the time... a university degree doesn't not necessarily guarantee success.
  
  
• Believe the reviews....this is the PERFECT family game
  By A3OIQ3T0OIKY66 on 2005-01-02
  We have a seven year-old and sixteen year-old, not to mention a couple of 40 somethings in our house and this is a game we can ALL enjoy. My seven year-old has even made up a few of his own "games" and will play with it on his own as well as with one or a couple of the rest of us. No "baby" game for the teenager and no "way too tough" for the little guy...best of all, no torture for the parents while playing it because we really enjoy it too! Not too many games out there can fit this description, so check it out.
  
  
• Fun for the Whole Family!
  By A2MW4PIXD6LDQO on 2006-12-01
  I purchased this game hoping that it would be something that my husband and I would enjoy playing with our 8 yr. old. I'm so glad I did! Blokus is a lot of fun because it involves strategy but isn't difficult. My daughter's use of strategy in making plays improves every time she plays. It's even better when played with 3 or 4 adults.
  We've found that it isn't really challenging at all with only two people, unless you tweak with the rules, which is easy to do. If you enjoy puzzles, this is a great game because it combines the challenge of a one-person puzzle with the fun of a multi-player board game.
  
  
• Love this game
  By AIWJOBWNZB4QF on 2006-11-18
  It never gets old, or boring. My only suggestion is to put all the pieces in a plastic zipper bag and put it in the box. I would hate to lose a piece to this game.
  
  
• Jen in Western PA
  By AZUZVIIZDAPFI on 2006-12-03
  This game was purchased last Christmas as a "family" gift, and we still enjoy it a year later. My boys are 12 and 13, but even younger children would enjoy it. My husband and I don't mind when this one is pulled out for family game night! I like that it requires thinking spatially, planning strategy, etc. I found it in a children's catalog where it was recommended as a top game. Don't be afraid to buy this one!! Enjoy!
  
  
• Excellent for ALL ages ...
  By A9IZQ7O35KPEM on 2005-09-02
  I LOVE this game, but you really need to play it to appreciate it. The box says it's for ages 5 and UP and I support that whole-heartedly. I've played with kids as well as a 'parents only' game ;)
  
  I first saw Blokus set up at a very small "hands-on" kind of toy store in a vacation area. I don't know that the box itself would have attracted me to it ... I bought one and played it w/ my kids (6 and 8) and other families staying in the same area. One other family purchased it after playing and another said they probably would ... it's that good!!
  
  The kids (and adults, too) grasp the rules IMMEDIATELY, the complexities and subtleties are revealed as you play. The more you play the more you learn.
  
  It's a good game for developing concepts of spacial relationships, and 'building bridges' to change the course of play. You also learn to play offensively as well as defensively.
  
  According to the box, it's gotten several toy awards as well as some sort of nod from Mensa ... it's really a GOOD all-around family game and I highly recommend it.
  
  
• Awesome game!
  By A2LV6V67YYZZ0R on 2005-09-29
  My mom purchased this game for my children after seeing a group of kids crowded around it at a "mom and pop" type toy store. My parents, my kids (ages 12 and 9), my husband and I LOVE this game. We've owned it about a year now and every time someone pulls it out we all jump in to play. It teaches and helps with spatial reasoning, logic, hand eye coordination, concentration, strategy. It's a wonderful game that I would recommend to anyone!
  
  
• Awesome for all ages!
  By A2JR0PAOLBZD3F on 2005-12-06
  I bought this game after playing it one night with friends. It is very fun and challenging when it gets down to the wire. I thought it would be hard for smaller children, but my 6 year old daughter loves playing it with us and loves to "block" us! It is best played with 3 or 4 people. With 2, you pretty much end with a tie. I highly recommend it!
  
  
• Good game
  By A19YGN1Z9Z3PCB on 2007-02-06
  I should give it more stars because I have a lot of friends that like to play it, but this is my opinion. I like to play it occasionally, and it is worth having, but I wouldn't consider it a great game.
  
  
• The Bets Game Out There!
  By on 2004-07-14
  This is the best game ever. We bought this on a recent family trip and we were hooked. Every age range in our family played from grandkids to grandparents and everyone in between. It is fun, strategic and totally addicting. We played every night and could not put it down!
  
  
• Great for all ages!
  By ACBNI75US6WXZ on 2006-05-07
  This is a game that both kids and adults will love. Our family is hooked on it! I bought it for my 6 and 7 year old boys but my husband and I like playing it as much as they do. It is great for a rainy day because you can keep playing it over and over for hours and won't get tired of it. Plus, my 6 year old also likes to play with it by himself and use it to make patterns and pictures with the pieces when we aren't playing it the right way.
  
  
• Great Game!!
  By A1NCG2V9QLXTK9 on 2006-11-15
  My son got this as a gift for his 7th birthday. It's a great game of strategy and fun. Even my husband enjoys playing Blockus! I would highly recommend this game!!
  
  
• Great fun and educational, too!
  By A2JTMTR2BZGLX on 2004-10-04
  We play with our 11 and 13 year-olds -- it doesn't take long play, it is perfect for a four-person family, and it has considerable educational value, too! Kids learn math and spatial concept plus a lot of strategic thinking. Our kids enjoy it, but it is my husband (an engineering/financial type) who REALLY loves this game. He would play it every day!
  
  
• BLOKUS is a great game that EVERYONE can play
  By A1NNP530SM6PVV on 2005-09-30
  Blokus is addictive. It is never the same game twice, and everyone in the family can play, so its great if you have kids.
  
  
• simple yet subtle
  By A1FI3FNLU8NES0 on 2006-12-17
  I agree with the age recommendation of 5 and up because the rules are easy to grasp. Yet I have played it only with my husband (both 30-somethings), and we find it intellectually satisfying -- there is a signficant strategy element. (By the way, it is a 2 OR 4 person game, not 2 to 4.) It is well-made, and the package is cleverly designed to discourage you from losing pieces. I have read that if you do lose a piece, Educational Insights will replace it for a nominal fee! I recommend this without reservation to all game lovers.
  
  

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