Everything You Need to Know About Tsuro!
Here it is folks, the one that started it all! We are wrapping up September, and with it our spotlight on Calliope Cozy Classics. And you can’t get any more classic than the OG Calliope title: Tsuro: The Game of the Path.
Tsuro’s journey actually started at WizKids, as did Calliope President Ray Wehrs. When Ray decided to be the change he wanted to see in the world and found a company that focused on easy-to-learn, quick-playing games he could play with his daughters, he knew Tsuro was the perfect fit, and was able to secure the rights to publish as Calliope Games. And it became our very first game! Perhaps the simplest game in our lineup, it is also the hardest to master, and also the most elegant.
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How to Play
Quick Start Guide
Setup
Set the board in the middle of the table. Every player gets 3 tiles and a pawn of their choice. Place your pawn at the edge of the board on one of the starting marks, and place the stack of path tiles within reach of everyone.
Follow the Path
Place a tile in front of your pawn and follow the path it creates. You can rotate the tile however you want. If the path takes you onto another tile, keep following it until the path stops. If the tile you place creates a path for another pawn, they will follow it too.
Stay on the Board
If the tile you place (or someone else places) takes you off the board, you are eliminated. If a tile cause two pawns to run into each other, they are both eliminated. Last player standing wins!
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I play a tile in front of another player to mess them up?
No, that’s a little too mean! You can only place a tile in front of your own pawn. But if your tile affects another player, that’s fair game.
Is this a good game for kids?
Absolutely! There is zero reading involved in the game, and it moves quickly enough to keep attention, and the games play so fast that the players eliminated barely have time to zone out. Ask Friday Knight Games, he can’t seem to win a game against his 5 year old!
How does Tsuro play at 2 players versus 8 players?
Calm vs. Chaotic! While it is exactly the same game, having more players on the board makes it crowded very quickly. So while we don’t normally recommend Tsuro as a party game, at high player counts we just might.
Reviews and Playthroughs
Tabletop- Playthrough featuring Wil Wheaton (Star Trek: The Next Generation), Freddie Wong, Ryan Higa, and Rod Roddenberry
Smosh Games- Damien brings “one of his favorite games” for the Smosh crew to play
Wired– Written review by Jonathan Liu of GeekDad
What Do We Do All Day?- Written review by homeschool mom Erica
Does each player draw a new tile card after placing one on the board? This is unclear in directions.
Yes; after placing a tile on the board, a new tile is drawn from the draw pile and added to your hand. If the draw pile is depleted, then the you’ll take the Dragon tile. When a person is forced off the board, their tiles become the new draw pile. The player with the Dragon tiles draws a single tile first and passes the remaining tiles to the next player. The first player unable to draw now holds the Dragon tile until the next player leaves the game… the process then repeats itself.