Orbito

Things are going well and I have actually got quite ahead of myself with games played so far over Summer to the point where I might have to do a few days where I cover 2 games in order to fit everything I have played with the kids. I fully expect to not just beat last year’s record but possibly even smash it!

Game 36# of the “Now & Then Summer Marathon 2024” is “Orbito” played with Toby(6).

“Orbito” is a simple abstract strategy game that is available in quite a few different versions, but this review covers the one I played at the UK Games Expo. This is also the version I purchased, which is commonly available in shops. We bought our copy at Waterstones.

The game itself is straightforward and comes with a cool grid. Essentially, the goal is to have four balls of your colour in a line—either orthogonally or diagonally—by the end of a turn, though not necessarily your own turn.

On your turn, you move one of your opponent’s balls one space, then move one of your own balls, and finally press the middle plunger that rotates all of the balls anti-clockwise around the grid. Once you have pressed the plunger, you check to see if any player has four balls lined up. If they do, that player wins.

This game fits into a similar category as “Tic-Tac-Toe” but is much more strategic. A notable advantage is that with proper planning, you can win on your opponent’s turn if they fail to notice your strategy.

The ability to move one of your opponent’s balls gives you more control over the game. Unlike in games like “Tic-Tac-Toe” or “Connect Four”, where you must play defensively with your pieces, in “Orbito”, you can interrupt your opponent’s plans without sacrificing your own strategy.

The pieces in this version are of high quality. The plastic grid and balls are well-made, and the overall feel of the game is satisfying.

We first played “Orbito” at the UK Games Expo while waiting for something else and only managed to get through about one and a half games. However, recently, Toby and I have been playing it a lot, and it has become one of his favourites. It’s really simple to understand, and you could definitely play it with an older relative, making it a great game for family gatherings.

Overall, “Orbito” is excellent (I promise some negative reviews are coming soon, but I have played a lot of high-quality games this year).