If you like Quarto, the closest games are short two-player abstracts with simple rules and nothing hidden: Quixo, Pylos, Quoridor, Gobblet, Hive, Santorini and Connect Four. For the same hand-your-opponent-the-piece mechanic on a phone, there is Quads. None of them copies Quarto, so the table below says what each one shares with it.
About us: we make Quads, an independent game built on the same hand-your-opponent-the-piece mechanic as Quarto. It isn't affiliated with Gigamic or the makers of Quarto.
What makes a game feel like Quarto
Quarto, designed by Blaise Müller and published by Gigamic in 1991, has a few qualities that people look for again:
- Rules you can teach in two minutes. Place a piece, try to make four with something in common.
- Nothing hidden and no luck. Both players see the whole board and every remaining piece.
- Short games. There are only 16 squares, so a game ends within 16 placements.
- Shared pieces. Nobody owns a colour. Your opponent chooses the piece you place.
The last point is the rare one. Most of the games below match the first three.
The eight games compared
| Game | Board | How you win | What it shares with Quarto |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quads | 4×4 | Four in a line or a 2×2 square sharing a trait | The same mechanic: your opponent picks your piece |
| Quixo | 5×5 cubes | Five of your symbol in a row | Shared cubes that start neutral; same publisher |
| Gobblet | 4×4 | Four of your colour in a row | 4×4 board, four in a row, piece size matters |
| Pylos | 4×4 base, stacked | Place the last ball on top of the pyramid | Small wooden set, quick games, same publisher |
| Quoridor | 9×9 | Reach the far side first | Very simple rules, nothing hidden, same publisher |
| Hive | None | Surround the other player's queen bee | No luck, short games, pieces with different abilities |
| Santorini | 5×5 | Move a worker up to a third level | Simple turns that create traps for the next move |
| Connect Four | 7 columns × 6 rows | Four of your colour in a row | Four in a row, easy to teach |
The games, one by one
Quads
Quads is our own game, so weigh this accordingly. It uses the same 16 pieces and the same turn as Quarto: you place the piece your opponent handed you, then hand one back. It also counts a 2×2 square as a win, which the classic rules treat as an optional advanced variant. It runs on iPhone, iPad, Android and in a browser, with five computer opponents, pass-and-play on one device and a daily puzzle. It has no online multiplayer.
Quixo
Designed by Thierry Chapeau and published by Gigamic. The board is 25 cubes. On your turn you take a blank cube or one of your own from the edge, turn it to your symbol, and push it back into its row or column from another end, shifting the line. The goal is five in a row. Like Quarto, the pieces start out belonging to nobody.
Gobblet
Designed by Thierry Denoual. This is the closest to Quarto in shape: a 4×4 board and four in a row. Each player has pieces in four sizes, and a larger piece can cover a smaller one, including an opponent's. You have to remember what is hidden under each stack.
Pylos
Designed by David G. Royffe and published by Gigamic. Players take turns placing balls on a 4×4 base and then on the levels above it, building a pyramid. Whoever places the final ball on top wins, so the game is about saving your own balls and making your opponent spend theirs.
Quoridor
Designed by Mirko Marchesi and published by Gigamic. Each turn you either move your pawn one square or place a wall to lengthen your opponent's route. You may never block a player completely. It is a race rather than a pattern game, but the rules are as short as Quarto's.
Hive
Designed by John Yianni. There is no board. Players add hexagonal insect tiles to a growing cluster and move them, each insect in its own way, until one queen bee is surrounded. It suits people who like Quarto's lack of luck and want more to think about.
Santorini
Designed by Gordon Hamilton. On a 5×5 grid you move one of your two workers and then build a level of a tower next to it. You win by stepping up onto a third level. As in Quarto, most losses come from a move that sets up the opponent's next turn.
Connect Four
The best-known four-in-a-row game. Discs drop to the lowest free space in a column, and each player owns a colour. It is a good first game for children who will later enjoy Quarto. We compare the two in Quarto vs Connect Four vs tic-tac-toe.
Which one to pick
- You want the same mechanic on a phone: Quads, or one of the options in where to play Quarto online.
- You want another 4×4 four-in-a-row game: Gobblet.
- You want shared, neutral pieces: Quixo.
- You want something deeper with no luck: Hive or Santorini.
- You are playing with a young child: Connect Four, then Quarto.
Frequently asked questions
What game is most similar to Quarto?
Gobblet is the closest in shape, with a 4x4 board and four in a row. Quads uses the same mechanic as Quarto, where your opponent chooses the piece you place, and runs on phones and in a browser.
Who makes Quarto?
Quarto was designed by Blaise Müller and is published by Gigamic. It was first released in 1991.
Is Quads the same as Quarto?
Quads is an independent game that uses the same 16 pieces and the same turn structure. It also counts a 2x2 square of four pieces sharing a trait as a win, which is an optional advanced rule in classic Quarto. It is not affiliated with Gigamic.
What is a good game after Connect Four?
Quarto is a common next step. It is still four in a row, but pieces are shared and your opponent picks the one you place, so you have to think about what you give away.