If you are young, this is an excellent mind-expanding game, plus a lot of fun.

If you aren't very good at games, this can be a good social game that is quick to learn. Just make sure you play someone at your skill level.

If you love strategy games, this game is for you. If you haven't played it since you were a kid, you probably haven't appreciated the intense strategic elements in this game. I think this game coined the phrase "A minute to learn, a lifetime to master." It is a lot of fun going through the mastery process.

The quality is not as good as I remember it as a kid, but the board will hold together even though the green felt will wear quickly.

And, as a trivia note, Othello is the brand name of the generic game of Reversi. Reversi is available for free at many online gaming sites.

54 of 56 found the following review helpful:

Two boys' review: Poor construction, materials take away the fun  Jul 20, 2008
By Jared Castle
First, let me say this game is fun if you are playing on a quality game board with quality playing pieces.

Othello is a great game for young children. The rules are easy to learn and this game provides a solid education in basic strategy.

However, I set aside my own nostalgia for this game and looked at the reality of what's inside the box.

Here's the negatives:

This game board is cheap.

The poor construction means poor durability; the faux felt is already peeling away from the board.

The board is designed so tight that the game pieces almost have to be snapped into place when you flip them.

The game pieces are thinner and harder to pick up, especially for older hands (beware grandparents).

Steer clear of this version from Mattel. See if you can find a better quality version of the game. It makes a difference.

Message to Mattel: I'd rather pay the extra $10-$15 for you to provide better-quality materials. Cheap construction like this makes me think twice about buying your other games.


58 of 61 found the following review helpful:

Deviously simple. Simply devious.  Jun 26, 2003
By Joseph Ekaitis "author of Collinsfort Village"
You put down your black disk, enclosing your opponent's white disk between another black disk already on the board. You then flip the opponent's disk from white to black. You and your opponent take turns until there are no more available moves and the player whose color dominates the board is the winner.

There. That's all there is to Othello. And a little dust was all there was to Vesuvius.

Beneath its innocent appearance and simple game play, Othello conceals one of the most challenging and enduring strategy games known to humanity. Believed to be older than chess and checkers (going back to when it was called Reversi), Othello is a game of unexpected twists and turns, mind-bending strategy and constant challenge. It's one of a handful of strategy games where the outcome isn't decided in the first few moves. If you're playing black, there might be 2 or 3 white disks on the board as the game nears the end. Then, in a few moves you never anticipated, your opponent is suddenly flipping disk after disk to the opposite color. And all you can do is sit there and watch it happen.

Because of its non-linguistic, purely symbolic game play, it's a game many parents teach to their children and soon, find themselves getting whomped over and over again. A child's ability to think abstractly and look ahead hasn't yet been hindered by the adult obsession with language and the written and spoken word. Like learning to draw, becoming skilled at Othello is a function of the "right" brain: thinking without words, seeing everything, pondering every possibility. It's possible to sit in the middle of a busy airport playing Othello and, over time, becoming completely oblivious to everything else going on around you. Othello can easily be played by opponents who don't speak the same language, which is one of the reasons Othello tournaments attract participants from all over the world.

The product's well-known tagline of "A minute to learn, a lifetime to master" might sound like advertising hype but it's true. Computers have been programmed to play checkers and chess nearly flawlessly, but the same still can't be said of Othello.

22 of 23 found the following review helpful:

Positively Addictive!  Jun 01, 2004
By AlexJouJou
I've seen this game often in the stores but passed it up in favor of the flashier games with the namebrand attached.

We are gamehounds and I have so many games it was getting harder to find games we DIDN'T have! Enter: Othello. What a fabulous game!

My daughter (she's 7) picked up how to play very quickly. This is a game of strategy, not chance. In that aspect it is much more educational than so many other games out there which rely on chance and sometimes leave kids with "poor gamemanship" attitudes. I really found myself thinking hard after every move my daughter made. Now that is a GREAT game! Challenging on all levels.

This is also an excellent game for math skills. I highly recommend this game.

12 of 12 found the following review helpful:

A great game of strategy & surprise  Jan 02, 2003
By JET
This is a simple game that is easy to learn, but never fails to surprise. Each game is different, even if you play against the same opponent. Although I am typically not very good at strategy, Othello provides satisfaction of my thirst for a challenge, yet does not frustrate me. Parents be warned: this game is quiet and takes patience. Older kids might appreciate it more.

See all 79 customer reviews on Amazon.com