Continuo(us) (Continuo)

Member Name: scotia1949

Product:	Continuo
Date:	05/06/01 (73 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: simple, children can play on equal terms, educational

Disadvantages: needs a lot of space

The game of Continuo is aptly named as it continues on and on. It is a clever little game which is so stunningly simple that a five year old can beat you at it and frequently will. Those of you with young children will know that one of the best ways of keeping young children entertained is to play a game with them which is sufficiently absorbing for YOU not to get bored but simple enough for THEM to win fairly and squarely against you. Continuo is one of those games.

The game consists of 42 stiff cards about 8cm square, divided into 16 colured squares, blue, green, red and yellow. The game starts with 4 cards being laid in a square in the centre. The remaining cards are dealt out among the players face down, though that doesn't really matter too much to be honest.

The aim of the game is to lay a card next to one already there in such a way that you make continuous tracks or trails of the same colour. You score points for every trail created or added to by the card you are laying. The secret of Continuo is being able to spot the best place to lay your card.

This is a very educational game, though it may not sound like it. What it encourages children to do is use logic to work out the best place to lay the card. They also need to count out the trails, adding up as they go along to determine the best place to play the card. Later in the game this can mean testing dozens of possibilities on each turn.

Continuo needs a fair bit of space, probably about a metre square or so, to accommodate all of the cards. I find it best to play either on the floor, which most children prefer, or on a table which is probably more suitable for geriatrics like me. It is a game which can be just as easily and enjoyably played by any number from 2 to 6 or even more. I would thoroughly recommend it to anyone.

Summary: