four

'Four' is a collection of games intended to introduce board games to small children. They're a reinterpretation of classic games, such as chess and shogi, but with changes that aim to make it as fun as possible to kids while allowing adults to have a deep and challenging experience.

Compared to the classic games, the 'four' versions allow interactions very early in the game. This helps to keep children interested. They have movements and concepts that relate to the classics, but they're more dynamic, quicker and easier to understand. They also have a different setting, with cute and colorful animal play rather than the serious and militaristic tone classic board games usually have.

Finally, if you don't have a kid, don't worry ― these are deep and challenging games even for experienced players, where one move can make all the difference.

Two teams os cats are playing tag, and the one who first gets the opponent's lion wins the game.

Chess4 is a small scale game of chess for young childdren. It is modified to be quicker, more dynamic and much cuter.

chess

Each player wants to get every type of animal in his farm. There is only one pheasant and one crane, though, and whoever gets both win.

Shogi4 is a simplified game of shogi, with some modifications to make it more enjoyable to young children.

shogi

Have fun with your children

Children (and adults) like to discover, to learn and to build new things.

Four paper games are a gateway to family fun. Here is how it works:

  1. Call the children
  2. Choose a game
  3. Download and print the file
  4. Now it is time for the paper craft fun
    • show the children how to cut the pieces
    • you may need to print twice ― mistakes are a path to perfection after all
    • once you have all the pieces it is time to fold. How nice it is to create the pieces with your own bare hands!
    • Finally, you can craft a box for you to keep your pieces
  5. Assembling the pieces was just the beginning. Now you can play with a game you made yourself!

Easy to learn, hard to master

Every parent loves to see how smart are their kids. They really are!

You'll be astonished to see how fast your children will learn the game, and how deep they can develop a strategy. The best of it all is that you will have lots of fun.

The secret of these games is simple: they are very dynamic and fast. Persistence is a hard skill to develop and children can get bored fast. The game dynamics (due to its small board and straight-to-the-action approach) does not require the same degree of patience chess does. When children can have fun with board games right away, it will be easier to play more challenging games like chess or shogi.

Long live the classics

Can a paper board compete with electronic games for kids attention?. The classic games have had some pretty tough competitors: sports, outdoor games, radio, TV, videogames. It has survived them all. There is a reason for it: it's not about the pieces, it is about your friends. How fun it is to challenge a software? Well, it's fun alright, but it is more fun to challenge your friends. A good board game will allow you to learn and develop strategies, to laugh and talk with your friends, to have a family meeting. Paper board games may not be a hit, but they're here to stay.

Long live Chess. Long live Shogi. Long live Yut. Long live Go.