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Quoridor and Blokus are two of the best-known abstract strategy games for families. Both are quick to teach, both reward planning, and both are about getting in your opponent's way. But they play very differently. Quoridor is a race across a wooden board where fences are your weapons. Blokus is a puzzle of colorful pieces where you fight for space. Here is how they compare.
Quick verdict for two players: Quoridor
A tense race with blocking walls, at its best head to head. It costs about $38.
Price band: $30+ (about $38) · Check today’s price on Amazon
Quoridor vs Blokus at a glance
| Quoridor | Blokus | |
|---|---|---|
| Players | 2 or 4 | 2 to 4 |
| Ages | 8+ | 7+ |
| Game length | About 15 minutes | About 20 minutes |
| Goal | Reach the far side first | Place as many squares as possible |
| Board | 9 by 9 wooden grid | 20 by 20 plastic grid |
| Price | about $38 | about $27 |
How to play Quoridor in brief
Each player starts with a pawn in the middle of their own edge. On your turn you either move your pawn one space or place a fence to block a path. In a two-player game you each have ten fences, and in a four-player game five each. Fences can make your opponent's route much longer, but you may never block every path to the goal. The first pawn to reach the opposite side wins.
Pawns can jump over each other when they meet face to face, which creates neat tactical moments. The whole game is about timing: spend fences too early and you have nothing left for the final sprint.
How to play Blokus in brief
Each player has 21 pieces in one color, from a single square to five-square shapes. Your first piece goes in your corner of the board. After that, every new piece must touch at least one corner of your own pieces, and it may never touch your own pieces along an edge. Touching other colors is fine.
As the board fills, you squeeze into gaps and block others from expanding. When nobody can play, you lose a point for each square left in your supply. Placing all 21 pieces earns a bonus of 15, with 5 more if your final piece was the single square.
Where Quoridor comes out ahead
- Two-player duels. It is a true head-to-head game, while Blokus with two is played with two colors each.
- Direct interaction. Every fence is aimed at someone.
- Short games. A round takes about fifteen minutes.
- Gift appeal. The wooden board looks lovely on a coffee table.
Where Blokus comes out ahead
- Four players. Everyone plays a color at once, and it feels great with a full table.
- Younger kids. Matching corners is easy to explain, and the bright pieces keep their interest.
- Gentler conflict. You block by taking space, not by targeting a person.
- Spatial puzzles. Fans of tile and jigsaw games love the shapes.
Beginner strategy for Quoridor and Blokus
In Quoridor, resist the urge to wall off your opponent on turn one. Fences are most powerful late in the game, when one well-placed wall can add several moves to a route right before the finish. Count both players' shortest paths before each move. If you are ahead, simply run; if you are behind, use fences to make your opponent backtrack. Keep a couple of fences in reserve for emergencies.
In Blokus, play your biggest and most awkward five-square pieces early, while the board is open. Head toward the center fast so you can branch out in several directions, and keep plenty of open corners so one blocked path does not end your game. Watch for chances to slip a piece into a gap that cuts off another player's best route. Save the single square for last if you can, because it earns the extra bonus.
We already compare Blokus with another tile game in Blokus vs Qwirkle, our how to play Blokus guide covers piece placement and scoring, and our Quoridor rules guide walks through jumps and fence placement in detail.
Quoridor or Blokus: which should you buy?
Buy Quoridor if you mostly play as a pair and want a short, sharp duel. Buy Blokus if you usually have three or four players, or younger kids at the table. Fans of Pac-Man can also try Quoridor Pac-Man (about $38), a themed version where one player races for the exit while the others play ghosts.
Quoridor vs Blokus FAQ
Is Quoridor or Blokus better for two players?
Quoridor. It was designed as a duel, while two-player Blokus has each person controlling two colors.
Can you completely block a player in Quoridor?
No. Fences can lengthen a route, but at least one path to the goal must always stay open.
How do you score Blokus?
Each square left in your supply costs a point. Placing all pieces earns 15 bonus points, plus 5 if the last piece was the single square.
