Matthew BaileyI actually reviewed OK Play a couple of years ago, back when we were gearing up for February half term and Valentine’s Day. But with many heading on their holidays this week and travel games being popular (I can see what people look at the most :p) , I thought it was worth giving this one another look – because it really is one of the best travel games out there. Equally due to its plasticky no-box nature, you can wash the whole thing if it gets grubby on the beach or the campsite, and it also doesn’t matter if you drop it in the pool.
OK Play is a bright, bold abstract strategy game from Big Potato Games that you can think of as a freeform version of noughts and crosses – or maybe Connect Four on a picnic table. On your turn, you just place a tile orthogonally adjacent to another tile (no diagonals allowed), and the goal is simple: get five in a row in any direction.
It’s one of those games that you can explain in about 20 seconds, but it reveals a surprising amount of depth once you’ve played a few rounds. That classic “aha” moment when you realise someone’s about to win in two different ways and you can’t block them both? Yep – that happens a lot here, and it’s deliciously frustrating.
What makes OK Play stand out is the way it plays with space. Unlike most games of this type, there’s no fixed grid – tiles can go in any direction as far as the table (or patio, or pub bench) allows. That really shifts how you think about your moves, especially in games with three or four players. It’s not just a two-player duel – the extra players add a really nice layer of unpredictability.
Production-wise, it’s built with travel in mind. The whole game is made up of four tile holders that clip onto a central carabiner, so in theory, you can just clip it to your backpack and go. In practice, I wouldn’t fully trust the clip to hold up on a rollercoaster or a windy hilltop walk – it’s more of a chuck-it-in-your-bag situation than a dangle-it-off-your-rucksack one. But still, it looks fab and is instantly recognisable.
We’ve brought it out time and time again – in restaurants, on camping trips, on the beach – and it’s always a hit. Even Toby, who was quite a bit younger when we first played it, picked it up straight away and even won a few games. That’s the charm of OK Play: everyone from young kids to grandparents can compete on a pretty level playing field.
Also, while I was originally writing this up (last time), I found out there’s a two-player version called OK Play Duo, which comes in a more standard box and includes a purple tile set. Naturally, I bought it mid-review. No regrets. And yes… the Duo version lets you play with up to six people if you combine the sets
This is still a massive recommendation from me. If you’re looking for something compact, colourful, and genuinely fun for all ages – especially for those long journeys or lazy summer afternoons – this should absolutely be in your bag. SHOULD YOU PLAY – DEFINITELY
Disclaimer: A copy of OK Play was kindly provided by Big Potato Games for review well over a year ago now. But the Duo version? That was all me, impulsively bought mid-review last time.
