What others say about BATALO

Advance Comics from their March 1994 catalog:

“This excellent strategy game has routinely been included in Games magazine’s top 100 list. The game is simple; to win you must occupy your opponent’s base with one of your playing pieces. Players alternate moving their stones and columns in order to achieve this objective. A very addictive and elegant game, and chess players will love it. Includes a 12-inch vinyl board, pieces, and felt bag. Highly recommended.”

GAMES Magazine from their 1995 Buyer’s Guide:

“Though easy to learn and played on a simple board with only two kinds of pieces, Batalo builds up quite a bit of tension. Getting a single piece to your enemy's base wins, and only your strongest attacking piece has the power. But that's precisely the piece you need to defend your own base from an enemy incursion. So both players must use their other pieces to try to control key lines of approach.”


GAMES Magazine from their December 1993 “GAMES 100” (listing the top hundred games of the year) ratings:

“Though played on a simple board with only two kinds of pieces, Batalo is a compelling struggle to control key lines of approach to the enemy base. Getting a single piece there wins, for which you’ll need the help of your strongest attacking piece. But that could leave your own base vulnerable. War is hell, isn’t it?”


GAMES Magazine from their December 1992 “GAMES 100” (listing the top hundred games of the year) ratings:

“Each side has a base on which a column stands surrounded by six stones. You win by moving any of your pieces into your opponent’s base. Stones move one space in any direction or leapfrog friendly pieces. Your column is your most powerful attacker and also an indispensable defender: It can slide any distance and can capture enemy pieces, but it's your only piece that can keep the enemy our of your base. Batalo is a very entertaining game of tempering aggression with prudence.”


Dell Champion Variety Puzzles from their September 1992 “The Game Corner” by Ruth B. Roufberg:

“Win by occupying your opponent’s base with one of your playing pieces.

“Each player has on hexagonal column and six small hexagonal stones. The game starts with each player’s column on one of the marked bases, and his six stones on the surrounding spaces. Et each turn, a player must move either a stone or a column. A stone may move one space or hop (Chinese-checkers style) over a player's own stone(s) or column--but not over the opponent’s pieces. A column has more power: it may slide any number of spaces in a straight line; it may capture by landing on a space occupied by the open; and it is safe from capture while on its own base.

“The latter is an advantage in defensive play, but in order for you to win, you must first lure your opponent’s column off its base to a position where you can capture, pin, or outmaneuver it. At the same time you must protect your own base from occupation. Examples of these strategies, which involve a delicate balance of attack and defense, are given in the well-designed instruction booklet, which also includes a notational system and a separate sheet on which to record game play.

“The 12-inch vinyl roll-up game board comes packed in a tube for easy portability. The game was designed by its inventor for intergenerational play with strategy simple enough for a young person to master, yet sufficiently challenging to hold an adult’s interest.”

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