Tsuro, the game of the Path

“Build your Path through discovery and chance. Quiet your mind. Your journey begins here.”, one can read in the parchment. The box, dominated by red and gold, the rule book, the cards, the tokens with the Dragon in relief, the board. So beautiful! So many delicious details! Behold, Tsuro, the game out of the Path, a creation of TomMcMurchie, illustrated by Shane Small.

But the journey will be anything but quiet! After all, the goal in Tsuro is to be the last on standing over the board, causing the opponents to leave it or to collide with each other. And the more the merrier, in a game up to 8 (!) players!

The board starts empty, with the tokens placed on the edge at a point freely chosen, and with three path tiles making the players hand.

In turn, each player chooses one of his tiles and places it in front of his token, which then travels all the way, never going back, until it reaches a free spot, i.e., a space without a path tile.

Straight ahead!

The paths, which at start are independent, quickly become shared, and each move can use tiles already on the Board.

A long stroll to the top right corner

But beware, all other markers that in contact with the new tile path, are also moved along the new path, until reaching a new free space! Unless the path will drive them off the board. 

White comes to the bottom left corner
Red finds its way out of the bottom border

Or even to a head-on collision. In both situations getting  knocked out of the game.

Unavoidable collision

With two or three players it is possible to play in a more strategic way. With six or eight, mayhem strikes fast!

A simple game, elegant, fun, fast to learn and play, enabling to gather up to 8 people, of any age, around a small board. The game of the Path.

McMurchie, Tom, Tsuro, Compound Fun, 2009. Calliope Games.