Katamino Rulebook

Table of Contents

Introduction
Components
The Challenges
Free Mode
Variant for 2 Players
Storage
Credits and Safety Notice

Introduction

Pentamino is the name given to each of the 12 pieces in the game. Each Pentamino fills a space of 5 squares on the board.

A PENTA is the name for a set of Pentaminos that perfectly fills the surface of the board marked off by the slider. For example, a PENTA 4 designates a challenge for which the slider is placed between the numbers 4 and 5 on the board: 4 Pentaminos must be assembled there to fill 4 rows of the board.

Katamino offers 500 PENTAS.

Components

1 wooden board with a sliding wooden bar (the slider), notched along both long edges and numbered 3 to 12
12 wooden Pentaminos, each a different color and a different arrangement of 5 squares — including a straight bar, a plus-shaped cross, a U-shape, and eight further irregular five-square shapes
This rulebook, printed with a grid on the back cover for the 2-player variant

Ages 6 to 99. For 1 player (solo challenges) or 2 players (see Variant for 2 Players).

The Challenges

1) Small Slam (Easy level)

This consists of 42 PENTAS to complete in succession, using the table on page 6 of the printed booklet. Position the slider on the board between the numbers 3 and 4, then select the first 3 Pentaminos shown on the table in row A up to column 3, and complete PENTA 3.

Once this Penta is complete, move the slider one notch to sit between the numbers 4 and 5, then add to the 3 Pentaminos already used the Pentamino shown in column 4 of row A and, with these 4 pieces, complete PENTA 4.

Continue in this way, each time adding the Pentamino indicated in the next column, until you complete PENTA 8 of row A.

Then follow the same instructions on row B, and so on through to row G.

2) Slam (Hard level)

Referring to the tables on pages 7 and 8 of the printed booklet, follow the same instructions to complete these 118 PENTAS.

3) Ultimate Challenges

Proceed in the same way to complete:

the 96 PENTAS of the Grand Slam on page 9;
the 96 PENTAS of the Super Slam on page 10;
the 160 PENTAS of the Challenge on page 11.

Rulespal note: pages 6–11 of the printed booklet are large reference tables — a grid of rows (lettered) by columns (numbered), where every cell shows a small colored icon of one Pentamino. Reading a row from left to right, column by column, gives the sequence of pieces to add for that row's progression of PENTAS, exactly as worked through in the Small Slam example above. Small Slam (page 6) runs rows A–G across columns 3–8 for 42 PENTAS; Slam (pages 7–8) extends this across more rows and columns for 118 PENTAS; Grand Slam (page 9), Super Slam (page 10) and Challenge (page 11) each run rows A–L (or further) across wider column ranges for 96, 96 and 160 PENTAS respectively. Because each cell is a picture with no printed label, the individual piece-by-piece sequences are not reproduced here — only the official printed booklet shows them.

Free Mode

Position the slider on the board between the numbers 4 and 5 and complete as many PENTAS 4 as possible, finding combinations of 4 Pentaminos that fit together entirely by yourself.
Do the same to complete as many PENTAS 5 as possible, then PENTAS 6, then PENTAS 7, and so on.

The more Pentaminos there are to fit together, the harder it becomes.

There are more than 36,000 possible combinations!

Variant for 2 Players

To play with two, use the grid printed on the back cover of this booklet. The 12 Pentaminos are laid out beside the grid, then the first player chooses one and places it wherever they like, respecting the grid lines. The second player then does the same, and so on.

The winner is the last player able to place a Pentamino on the grid.

Storage

To put Katamino away, see the diagram on page 3 of the printed booklet: each of the 12 Pentaminos has a numbered storage slot (1–12) inside the board, and the slider slides into a groove along one side to hold the pieces in place.

Credits and Safety Notice

A game by André & Johnathan Perriolat.

WARNING! Not suitable for children under 3 years old. Contains small parts that may be swallowed. Keep this packaging, as it contains important information.