Pentago

Pentago is an abstract strategy board game for two players, invented by Tomas Flodén. It was released in 2004.

The game is played on a 6x6 board divided into four 3x3 sub-boards or quadrants. Players take turns placing a marble of their color (either black or white) on any vacant space on the board. After placing the marble, the player must then rotate one of the four sub-boards 90 degrees either clockwise or counter-clockwise.

The objective of Pentago is to be the first player to get five of their marbles in a row, either horizontally, vertically, or diagonally. The row can be across one or more of the sub-boards. Because of the rotation element, players must consider not only the immediate placement of their marbles but also how the rotation will affect the overall board state and potentially create winning opportunities for their opponent.

Pentago requires strategic thinking, spatial reasoning, and an ability to anticipate future moves. The rotation aspect adds a significant layer of complexity compared to traditional tic-tac-toe-style games. It has won several awards for its design and gameplay.