Pylos

Build a pyramid of balls, save your supply with squares of your own color and put the last one on top.

Designer: David G. Royffe
Published by: Broadway Toys LTD
Editions by: Korea Boardgames, Gigamic, Fundex, Mitra, Great American Trading Company, Ericsson, Strat-O-Sphere Ltd

A tiny wooden pyramid, built from the ground up, with one goal: put the last ball on top. Each of you has fifteen balls in your own color and a four-by-four board full of hollows. You place them one by one, and once four balls form a square, a new ball can sit on top of them and start a second level. The twist is the saving trick: build a square of your own color and you may pick up one or two of your free balls and reuse them, which stretches your supply. It sounds gentle, but running out of balls hurts, so every placement is also a question of how many you can afford. About ten minutes, no luck, and a satisfying pyramid on the table by the end.

Balls stack into a pyramid with four levelsBuild a square of your color and take balls backFifteen balls each, so supply is the real fight

Who it's for

You and one friend want a quick, luck-free stacking duel with a beautiful wooden board, something like a three-dimensional cousin of Connect Four.

Not for you if…

You need more than two players or want a theme. It is a pure abstract with no story, and a stronger opponent will quietly beat you.

Vibe's take

Calm, clean and surprisingly sharp. Every ball counts, and the pyramid rises one careful placement at a time until someone runs short.