With just four rules, this simple but elegant game from France's legendary Gigamic is easy to learn, and each full game of Pylos takes only 10 or 20 minutes to complete. But its simplicity is deceptive. The game--recognized by Games Magazine's Top 100, Mensa's Top Five Best Games, the Parents' Choice Gold Awards, and France's Oscar du Jouet and As d'Or--falls into that "minutes to learn, a lifetime to master" family of games, like chess or Go. Players stack 1-inch-wide wooden balls (light and dark) on a 9-by-9-inch board to form a pyramid, and whoever places the top ball wins. Saving a ball for this last move is the goal. Do you position a new ball on the board, position a new ball to block the opponent, or move a played ball to a new location? Pylos offers 2 levels of play. 2 players. Recommmended for ages 8+.

Strategy game where winner is the player to place the wooden ball at the top of the pyramid.

Easy to learn, tough to master.

For 2 players.

Multi award winning game.

Recommended for 8 years and older.

Average Customer Review: ( 5 customer reviews )
Write an online review and share your thoughts with other customers.

But rather than just continually taking from your reserve of spheres, you want to make moves that either allow you to move a sphere from one place on the board to another, or another move that actually lets you take one or two spheres back. At the same time, you don't want to let your opponent have these openings.

(A sphere can be moved within the board if it goes 'upstairs', that is, on top of the center of a 2x2 of spheres. You can take one or two of your spheres back when you make a 2x2 where all four spheres are your own color. You could almost imagine yourself using similar strategies as you use when playing the 'box' game on paper. As you avoid some situations, you will find yourself trying to put your opponent in dilemmas where whatever they do will leave you an opening.)

So the principles are easy. However, I also think that the game situations are somewhat limited as a result, and while this is a great way to spend 10-20 minutes, it won't be as interesting as other games.

This is a very good game for children who are good at seeing visual relationships; I would expect that any child that enjoys Othello will also enjoy this.

2 of 3 found the following review helpful:

Thinkng GAmeJun 16, 2008
By A. Richards
This is a good thinking game that takes a fairly short time to play.
Good for kids off all ages with varying rules for increase challenge.

Great, elegant game.May 08, 2012
By faith torres
This game is a great game-- simple to learn, lifetime to master kind of a thing. Highly recommended, and nice looking.

Pylos Wood Board Game: All Quality and All FunJun 17, 2011
By Games from Everywhere
All of Gigamic's Board Games seem to be of the best quality. Like Quoridor and Quatro, Pylos has very simple rules. In this case, all you have to do is build a pyramid, be the last to place the final piece - and you win. Sounds simple, but the strategy is magic.

The strategy comes in even as the first few pieces are placed on the board; if you can get a "square" formed (4 balls of your color adjacent to each other on the same level), you can remove any 1 or 2 of your pieces (that don't support other pieces) and put them back in your reserve.

I love the polished wood playing pieces and I think the game is more than just quality coffee table art - though it is that. It really is an enjoyable board game and one that can be played again and again without becoming tedious. Pylos is also a Great mind game for our Kids. I suspect that explains the Mensa Select Awards it has won.

As one other reviewer of Pylos said, "The lamb chops were tender and flavoured very well." ... but I think they were talking about a New York restaurant of the same name.

Great game requiring logicApr 20, 2011
By Scott Dilley
I bought this game because I love Gigamic's Quoridor game. Although it is less thought-intensive than Quoridor, it is still a lot of fun. Also, the wooden board and game balls looks great as a display on my desk when I'm not playing the game. Games are quick to play, leading to many "re-matches". Enjoy it, I sure do.