Kadon Enterprises, Inc., Games Magazine reviews of Quintillions

Games Magazine selects: Quintillions

Cover for December 1995 Buyer's Guide to Games

Quintillions was chosen by Games as one of the 16 "Golden Oldies" listed in the premiere edition of their Buyer's Guide to Games, with this caption:

QUINTILLIONS
Kate Jones's system of wooden pentomino blocks that can be used for dozens of strategy games, puzzles, even sculpture-building problems.

Quintillions was chosen by Games as one of the 100 best games for the year 1994. Here's their write-up from the December 1993 "Buyer's Guide to Games" in the "Abstract Strategy" category:

QUINTILLIONS
Players: 1-4

This is the eighth appearance in The GAMES 100 of Quintillions, Kate Jones's system of precision-cut wooden blocks that can be used for dozens of strategy games, puzzles, even sculpture-building problems.

Quintillions was chosen by Games as one of the 100 best games for the year 1992. Here's their write-up from the December 1992 "Buyer's Guide to Games" in the "Abstract Strategy" category:

QUINTILLIONS
Players: 1-4; 9/81 [date of first review]

Invented by Kate Jones after reading about a pentominoes-playing character in an Arthur C. Clarke novel, Quintillions is appearing in The GAMES 100 for the seventh time. It can be used for dozens of competitive strategy games, original and classic puzzles, even sculpture-building problems. An essential game.

Quintillions was chosen by Games as one of the 100 best games for the year 1986. Here's their write-up from the November 1986 "Games 100" list, in the "Abstract Strategy" category:

QUINTILLIONS
Players: 1-4 Time: 5m-45m

Quintillions may be thought of as three-dimensional pentominoes. The 12 wooden "quints" — each quint consisting of five cubes in one of their possible configurations — can be used for dozens of puzzles and four games. The 18 supplemental pieces increase the number of puzzles and games as well as the challenge. (S/O 81, May 85) [Dates refer to first review and most recent Games 100 listing, shown below.]

Quintillions was chosen by Games as one of the 100 best games for the year 1985. Here's their write-up from the November 1985 "Games 100" list, in the "Abstract Strategy" category:

QUINTILLIONS
Players: 1-4 Time: 5m-45m

The 12 precision-cut wooden pieces that form the basic Quintillions set can be thought of as 3-D "pentominoes." They represent the possible shapes formed by joining five cubes — all lying in the same plane — at their faces. The Superquintillions supplement adds 18 new pieces of more complex shapes. With the basic set come rules for dozens of puzzles and four different games, all of which will stretch your sense of spatial relations to the limit. (S/O 81) [Date refers to first review, shown below.]

Quintillions was chosen by Games as one of the 100 best games for the year 1984. One of the Quintillions pieces was also part of the issue's puzzle cover design. Here's their write-up from the November 1984 "Games 100" list, in the "3-D Games" category:

QUINTILLIONS
Players: 1-4 Time: 5m-45m

Four basic games and dozens of puzzles are provided with this game, all based on different rules for arranging and rearranging the precision-cut set of 12 identically sized but differently shaped pieces. The Superquintillions supplement adds 18 new pieces of more complex shapes, and many new puzzles (some of which use all 30 pieces). (S/O 81, p. 62) [Date refers to first review, shown below.]

Quintillions was chosen by Games as one of the 100 best games for the year 1983. One of the Quintillions pieces was also part of the issue's puzzle cover design. Here's their write-up from the November 1983 "Games 100" list, in the "Three-Dimensional Games" category:

QUINTILLIONS
Players: 1-4 Time: 5m-45m

The 12 precision-cut wooden pieces are used for a variety of first-rate three-dimensional strategy games, as well as a lot of baffling puzzles. A new Superquintillions supplement adds 18 more pieces and comes with a booklet of new puzzles, including some mind benders that require all 30 pieces. Luckily, Kadon tells you how to fit the pieces back into the box. (S/O 81, p. 62) [Date refers to first review, shown below.]

Quintillions was chosen by Games as one of the 100 best games for the year 1982. One of the Quintillions pieces was also part of the issue's puzzle cover design. Here's their write-up from the November 1982 "Games 100" list, in the "Modern Strategy Games" category:

QUINTILLIONS
Playing time: 30 M

Twelve differently shaped, precision-cut wooden pieces are used for various competitive and solitaire games. If you can visualize how to pu two pieces together to maximize contact between their surface areas, this beautiful game may be just for you. (S/O 81, p. 62) [Date refers to first review, shown below.]

Quintillions was chosen by Games as one of the 100 best games for the year 1981. One of the Quintillions pieces was also part of the issue's puzzle cover design. Here's their write-up from the November/December 1981 "Games 100" list:

QUINTILLIONS
Numerous games and variations can be played with these 12 laser-cut wooden pieces. All are pure strategy, involving placement and rearrangement of the pieces. Also included are many solitaire puzzles that will reduce the best of puzzlesmiths to tears. (S/O 81, p. 62) [Date refers to first review, shown below.]

Quintillions was originally reviewed by Games Magazine in the September/October 1981 issue, with a two-thirds page layout and two photographs. Here's the write-up by their young reviewer, R. Wayne Schmittberger, who has since then become their editor-in-chief:

QUINTILLIONS
The playing equipment is simple: twelve precision-made laser-cut hardwood blocks, known as "quints," all different in shape but equal in size. Just as simple are the rules for the four different strategy games (more than four, really, since some have variations) and over 70 solitaire puzzles, all of which are played with the quints on any flat surface.
In "Quntillions," the title game in the exceptionally well-written rule book, two to four players (two is best) divide up the quints equally and take turns placing them so they touch at least one previously played piece. The idea is to place quints so that they make contact with as much of the surface area of the other quints as possible. Once all the quints are placed, the game continues as players rearrange the quints one at a time, again scoring the most when they find placements that mesh well. It can be played in two dimensions, with all pieces laid flat, or in three dimensions, with the restriction of keeping the "building" stable.
"Quintominoes" is a difficult variation of Quintillions in which pieces may be placed only next to the last piece placed — creating some very strange-looking buildings. "Squint" is the only game that requires a board — a 9x12 grid that comes with the set — and resembles the game of Pentominoes. The object is to be the last player to place a piece that does not touch another piece or extend out of the grid. A three-dimensional extension of this is the game "Blockout"; players agree on a rectangular volume, such as 2x3x5, and then try to be the last player to place a piece inside the agreed-upon space.
The solitaire puzzles challenge you to fit the quints together to form various shapes, from simple squares to complex objects like the dog shown in the photograph. The solutions don't come with the game, however; you must send 75 cents for each one.
If spatial relationships are your strong suit, you will probably enjoy all the ways of playing with the finely crafted pieces, and you may even come up with some games of your own. —R.W.S.

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