Overview
At a glance
Is this game right for my group?
ABG editorial scores on a 1–5 scale.
Easier to teach
High replayability
Highly interactive
Scales well
Deep strategy
More strategic control
How it plays
How does it play?
Move a worker, build one adjacent level, and become the first player to climb onto the third storey in the original abstract Santorini.
Core mechanisms
Key systems that shape the decisions players make.
Grid Movement
Move pieces between adjacent spaces on a regular grid.
Tile Placement
Place tiles to build a shared or personal spatial arrangement.
Three Dimensional Movement
Move pieces through height or depth as well as across the surface.
Variable Player Powers
Each player has different abilities, restrictions, or strategic advantages.
Square Grid
Use an orthogonal grid where position and adjacent spaces shape movement or placement.
Read the full game description
Santorini is Gordon Hamilton’s original hand-produced abstract strategy game. Each player controls two workers on a five-by-five grid. A turn consists of moving one worker to a neighboring space, then adding a building block beside that worker. Workers may climb only one level at a time but can descend freely; reaching the third level wins, while domes and occupied spaces close routes entirely. The plain wooden production keeps attention on the evolving three-dimensional position and the tactical tension between advancing, building, and trapping an opponent.
