Continue what? ... Oh!? (Continuo)

Member Name: josarah

Product:	Continuo
Date:	03/12/04 (192 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Simple, Small

Disadvantages: Can get boring with a lot of play

Continuo was the brainchild of Maureen Hiron, celebrated and award winning game inventor and was released back in the good old days of 1982. This game has never been advertised but has sold over 5 million copies throughout the world.

Continuo is a game that is best played with 2 players as it gives you more opportunities to get points.
First you would probably like to know what type of game it is? You would, isn’t that a coincidence?

Continuo is a strategy game, mind puzzle game, fun game, thinking game, pattern game. It’s all sorts of games rolled into one and can be played as a fast paced game, or could be a game to be played alongside quaffing a bottle of you favourite tipple when on holiday. In the box you get 42 cards which have 16 smaller squares on, the cards are probably 4cm2 with the smaller squares measuring in about 1cm2. I may not be entirely accurate on these measurement but you get the idea! Each square is one of 4 colours; green, yellow, red and blue. These colours are usually arranged in handy shapes that will, when the cards are connected together, produce long lines of squares of the same colour. In order to score points you connect squares of the same colour that are on you card to other cards that are already laid. Then you add up the number of connecting squares that you have in a chain. (am trying to find a pictuere to illustrate the point but can't!)

I was introduced to this game a couple of years ago on a camping trip to the south of France. The box that the game comes in was about 5cm3 and contained all you needed to be able to play the game. It was one of the games that actually fitted in the car when we had packed it with all the camping gear. Now the box is flatter, longer and wider, but still contains all you need to play the game. We played this game almost every night of our holiday whilst sat outside at the table after having gorged out on dinner and pudding.

I am 27 and actually enjoyed this game as it was not really that taxing, but could get quite competitive (if allowed by Matt).

The rules are essential to know before playing any game and I have popped them below for you.


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Shuffle and place cards face down on a flat surface in one pile. Take the top card and put it face up in the middle of the flat surface.

Each player takes turns to take one card from the top of the pack and place it face up on a flat surface touching (not overlapping) at least one of the cards already placed and matching as many chains of colour as possible. Add up the number of squares in each chain of colour formed, which must include squares from the new card and at least one others, and total. Only contact along an edge counts.
The object of the game is to obtain the highest score possible, so two chains of eight are better than three chains of four each. Score after each card is positioned, and keep a running total. Continue until all 42 cards have been placed. Once all cards have been placed, declare a winner and give them a celebratory glass of wine!


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To quote famous Continuo Player Omar Sharif the game is ‘Simply Brilliant – Brilliantly Simple’ and that is probably why the game is still going strong some 20 years later.

Currently the game is retailing from a selection of inernet sites for around £12 and I did see it in Hamleys for a similar price. If you're lucky you may be able to source a copy of this game on ebay for a cheaper price.

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