The missus and I decided to have a slightly quieter gaming evening recently. After a busy week of work, mortgages, and adulting (boo, hiss!), we didn’t quite have the brainpower for a heavy strategy session. So, we reached for an absolute classic that has been gracing gamers' shelves for years: Tsuro.
If you’ve never seen this one before, it is often described as a "Zen" game. The artwork is beautiful, the theme is about dragons flying through the clouds, and the whole presentation is incredibly peaceful. But don't let the relaxing vibes fool you: underneath that gorgeous, calm exterior is a sneaky, cutthroat game of survival where you will happily drive your beloved partner straight off the edge of the board just to secure a win.
Nitty Gritty Stuff
The setup for Tsuro is incredibly fast - you can literally be playing within thirty seconds of opening the box. The board is a grid, and each player gets a heavy, stone-like plastic dragon token which they place on one of the starting marks around the outer edge. You are handed a hand of three tiles, each featuring a messy tangle of intersecting paths.
On your turn, the loop is wonderfully simple:
- Choose one of the tiles from your hand.
- Place it on the grid directly in front of your dragon token.
- Slide your dragon along the newly created path until it reaches the end of the line.
- Draw a new tile to bring your hand back up to three.
The goal is simply to be the last dragon left on the board.
There are only two ways to lose: either your path leads your dragon off the edge of the board, or your path connects with another player's path and causes a head-on collision. As the board fills up with tiles, space becomes incredibly tight. You’ll find yourself desperately trying to map out where the lines go, only for an opponent to drop a tile next to you that completely hijacks your path and sends you spiralling into the abyss.
Tips and Tricks
- Look Three Moves Ahead: It’s easy to just place a tile that keeps you safe for this turn, but pay attention to where the paths on that tile lead for the future. You don’t want to inadvertently set yourself up on a one-way highway to the edge of the board.
- Keep Your Options Open: Try to stay away from the edges of the board for as long as possible. The middle is crowded, but it gives you far more room to maneuver when things get tight.
- The Aggressive Pivot: Don’t just play defensively. If you are close to your opponent, look at their hand options (if you can guess them) or the board layout. Placing a tile that connects to their path and forces them to veer off the board is a proper satisfying way to win.
- The Two-Player Dynamic: If you are playing this as a duo, you can easily spend the first half of the game on opposite sides of the board, which can feel a bit like multiplayer solitaire. If you want a tenser game, start your dragons closer together right from the off!
Likes & Dislikes
Likes
- Stunning Production Value: This is a gorgeous game. From the heavy, satisfying plastic dragon tokens to the beautiful board and the actual parchment paper insert it feels proper premium.
- Lightning Fast: You can teach this to absolutely anyone - grandparents, kids, non-gamers - in about thirty seconds. A full game takes about fifteen minutes, making it the ultimate "just one more round" experience.
- Deceptively Clever: Despite the simple rules, the puzzle of tracing the intersecting lines as the board gets crowded is brilliant fun and keeps your brain ticking.
Dislikes
- A Bit Light for Big Nights: If you’re looking for a deep, brain-burning strategic battle, this isn't it. It's a filler game, and a fantastic one at that, but it won't satisfy you if you're craving a heavy strategic meal.
Two Players
As stated this game can be played with two people. It is definitely more complex and fun with more people but lovingly placing the tile down that forces your soulmates dragon to go careening off the edge to their final demise is highly satisfying especially if you have a pre-rehearsed dance planned to show your complete lack of morals.
Final Verdict
Tsuro is a absolute gem of a game. It is beautiful, fast, and has just the right amount of player interaction to cause a few laughs (and maybe some mock arguments) around the table.
It is the perfect opener for a board game night, a brilliant game to play with a brew over the weekend, or a quick filler while you're waiting for the takeaway to arrive. If you don't have a fast, beautiful gateway game in your collection yet, Tsuro deserves a spot on your shelf!
Scores
Overall rating - 75
Artwork - 5
Complexity - 1
Replayability - 5
Player Interaction - 5
Component quality - 4
