Blokus is an abstract, competitive tile-placement game.

Try to place as many of your own pieces as you can.

An abstract strategy game with transparent, Tetris-shaped, colored pieces that players are trying to play onto the board.

Blokus Game Overview

Each player starts with a full set of uniquely shaped polyomino pieces in their own colour.

On your turn, you place one piece onto the board, following a single core rule: your pieces may only touch your other pieces at the corners, never along edges.

Your very first piece must start in your designated corner of the board, after which you expand outward, trying to keep your options open while cutting off space for others.

Turns are quick and simple, but each placement matters. As the board fills up, legal moves become harder to find.

You’re forced to choose between fitting in awkward shapes now or saving them and risking never placing them at all.

How Do You Win?

The game ends when no player can place a legal piece.

Players score by counting the squares in any pieces they failed to place; the player with the lowest score wins.

Main Mechanisms

Tile placement. The entire game revolves around positioning and planning several turns ahead.

USP

A pure abstract that’s easy to learn, fast to play, and brutally unforgiving if you make a bad placement early.

Theme

There isn’t one. Blokus is completely abstract, and all of its appeal comes from the puzzle and player interaction.

Setup

Lay out the board, give each player their full set of pieces, and you’re ready to go. Setup takes about a minute.

Components & Artwork

The chunky plastic pieces are colourful and instantly readable on the board. The board itself is functional, letting the shapes and colours do all the work.

Ease of Teaching

Very easy. The rules can be explained in under a minute, although good play takes much longer to master.

Similar Games

Other abstract placement games like Patchwork. Though Blokus is more direct and aggressive.

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Blokus Review

Positives

Easy to learn and teach.

Turns are fast with almost no downtime.

High player interaction through blocking while expanding.

It’s very accessible for all player counts and ages.

Negatives

Early mistakes can haunt you for the entire game.

There is no catch-up mechanism once you fall behind.

It’s 100% abstract.

Summary

Blokus is an abstract game that rewards good planning and reaction but punishes sloppy play.

It’s quick to set up, quick to teach, and endlessly replayable, making it a reliable classic that still holds up years later.

Jesta ThaRogue