Customer Reviews

Quarto Classic

5 star:		(21)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Who would have thought that a game with such simple rules could be so fascinating to play? This game is satisfying for all levels of players -- from little tykes to brain-heavy mathematicians. When you find an opponent who is about as careful or alert as yourself, you will be surprised how addictive this game can be. "OK, just one more game..."

Not only is this game mentally stimulating and fun, but it is very attractive and well made. The size and finish of the wooden pieces make it something you will want to leave out for guests to notice. Perhaps they will ask you what it is, so that you can teach them the game!

This would make an excellent gift.

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I wrote this review in the year 2000, and at that time, I had only the experience of playing the game at a friend's house. Many years later, I purchased one for myself, and was disappointed with the reduction of quality. The original pieces were probably made with maple, and were tooled and finished with a high degree of craftsmanship. I think they also had felt bottoms, which is a nice way to ensure that you place the piece right-side-up. The set that I ordered had pieces made of some cheaper softer wood, and the finish was rough and uneven. A clever player can now cheat by placing a "hollow" piece upside-down to conceal the fact that there
were no solid pieces left to play. That is, no felt bottoms.

I still love the game, but am tempted to throw away the pieces and turn out some of my own in by basement workshop.

April, 2010

Quarto has given our family of 5 (kids ages 13, 11, 7) hours of great play time. It is challenging enough for a Mensa adult and easy enough for our 7-year old to play. Besides warranting all the awards it has received, it looks lovely enough to keep out as an "art" piece in the livingroom... thus luring erstwhile TV viewers. The company that makes this also makes other games that are just as fun and attractive. I considered giving it a 4 for educational value because it doesn't go much farther than develop conceptual thinking/outside-the-box skills (a feat in itself). Scrabble might be more "educational." But in its category, it's a definite 5.

This game is very easy to learn. Each of the 16 playing pieces has 4 attributes, height (tall & short), color (white and brown), shape (circle & square), and hollow/solid.

The goal is to get 4 of the same attributes in a row (for example, you could have 1 tall white circle, 1 short white circle, 1 tall brown circle, and 1 short brown circle in a row, and that would be a winning set because they are all circles, even though they vary with respect to the other attributes).

The catch is that your opponent picks the piece you have to place on the game board.

This game is similar to SET, in that you are trying to make winning patterns across several attributes. It is different because you are also trying to block your opponent from making winning patterns.

I do wish this game were less expensive so that more people can enjoy it. Not everyone can drop $30 for a game. It is a beautifully made wooden game, but it would be just as much fun if it were made of something inexpensive and priced under $10.

Nevertheless it is a game worth owning. And, for trivia buffs, this game was futuristic enough to appear in an episode of Star Trek Voyager :)

Each game lasts only a couple of minutes, so it's great when you want to play just a quick game of something. You have to keep track of both whats on the playing board, and what is left to play, so you have to plan ahead the next several moves. It's something the whole family can play, regardless of age or education level. In short, it's a great game for everyone! I love it!

the good news, this is a great game. the bad news, a 5 yr old beat me

I got this game in Holland several years ago, have never seen it in the States, and was looking for a replacement after my dog chewed up a few of the pieces. It is really a great game, deceptively simple. The second image is totally wrong; you don't stack pieces on top of each other in this game. Recommended. Smaller children love being able to beat older relatives and friends of the family.

This is a fun, challenging board game for kids and adults. It teaches players to think of the future implications of each play much more so than any other game I've ever played. I highly recommend it!

I was introduced to Quarto as a child. When I ran into a magnetic version at a rummage sale, I was delighted. I have taught my students, all ages, all abilities, to play. I have won and lost games with the students and they love the game. I even bought a computer version! This is truly the best!

The first few games we played of Quarto were a bit of a disappointment. The games were over quickly and weren't very exciting. Then we started to catch on to the game and quickly became addicted (lots of "just one game before dinner"). It is one of those games that can be learned in just a few minutes, but takes some time to really get to know. It can be played by smart children and slow adults and is challenging to all. It is our favorite two person board game. We love and highly recommend it.

I first heard about this game from a picture I found on Twitter. I had no idea what it was, and the person who Tweeted it was nice enough to tell me the name.

Very simple game - easy to play, difficult to master.

I still haven't beat my girlfriend - but I have a feeling her time is up.