- BGG rank
- BGG #1,186
- BGG rating
- 6.9
Quarto
- 2 players
- 20 min
- Complexity 1.9/5
- 1991
- BGG rank
- BGG #4,561
- BGG rating
- 6.5
Katamino
1992
Rules assistance for Katamino
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 1–2 players
- 10 min
- 8+
- Complexity 1.8/5
For 1 player
Rules assistant for Katamino
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Katamino is a board game released in 1992 for 1–2 players, 10 minutes per game, and ages 8 and up. It was designed by André Perriolat and its main mechanics are Pattern Building and Pattern Recognition.
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About the game
The game consists of 12 different pieces constructed of right angled blocks so each piece is made of 5 "squares". (Think Tetris pieces, but 5 squares instead of 4.) An old version of the game had only 10 pieces; the completely straight 5 square and the 5 square "plus sign" were not included. Both versions also have a bunch of "filler" pieces of 1 or 2 squares. The gameboard is constructed with a movable divider so one can take sets of 4 up to the whole set of 12 pieces and form them into a 5 block by X rectangle. (Where X = the number of wood blocks in your set.) The two or three player strategy game is accomplished on a square board divided into 64 smaller squares. Players take turns to place a piece on the gameboard. The first player who cannot place a piece anymore loses. (Similar to Blokus) The two player puzzle game mode is accomplished by dividing the board into two sections, each player chooses five blocks and are also given 4 small "filler" blocks of 1 and 2 squares. The first one to fit all their blocks perfectly into their half of the rectangle board, wins.
Categories
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- Broadway Toys LTD
- Korea Boardgames
- Fundex
- SuperHeated Neurons
- Gigamic
- Lifestyle Boardgames Ltd
- Lautapelit.fi
- FoxMind Israel
- Hachette Boardgames UK
- MEBO Games
- DJ Games
- Jeux PBM
Questions and answers
Katamino supports 1–2 players according to the catalogue. This range comes from the publisher’s listed player count, so the game can be set up for any group size within it. Some setups, rules and scoring details may still vary by player count, so check your edition’s rulebook for the exact configuration.
The listed playing time for Katamino is 10 minutes. This is the publisher’s estimate for a full game. The actual duration depends on the group, the player count and familiarity with the rules: first sessions usually run longer, while experienced groups often finish faster. Setup and teaching time are not included in this estimate.
The catalogue lists Katamino for ages 8 and up. This is the publisher’s recommendation and reflects reading demands, rule complexity and small components rather than theme alone. Younger players can often join with help from an adult, so check the age guidance on your edition and consider your group’s experience with board games.
Katamino has a complexity rating of 1.8 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a light game. The rating reflects how much rules knowledge, planning and decision-making a typical game demands. Expect a longer first teach for heavier games, and use a preparation guide before game night.
Katamino belongs to these categories: Children's Game, Abstract Strategy, and Puzzle. Its main mechanics are Pattern Building and Pattern Recognition. Categories describe the theme and setting of a game, while mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you want something comparable.
The credited designers of Katamino are: André Perriolat. These credits come from the published game data and name the people responsible for the game’s design, not its illustrators or publishers. Designer pages on MeepleRules collect other titles by the same designers, which helps when you enjoy a game and want to find similar ones.
The catalogue lists Katamino as a base game. It can be played on its own with the components in the box and does not require any other title. Expansions, if any exist, add new content or rules on top of it and are listed separately in the catalogue with a link back to this base game.