Ishido: The Way of Stones is a meditative tile-matching puzzle game released for the Game Boy in 1990. Presented with the aesthetic of an ancient oracle, the game tasks you with placing a set of 72 stones onto a 96-square board. Each stone features a specific symbol and background pattern, and every move requires careful planning to ensure pieces connect harmoniously across the grid.
How to Play
The objective is to score the maximum number of points by successfully placing all 72 stones on the board. You may place a stone adjacent to an existing one as long as they share either the same symbol or the same background. If you place a stone next to multiple stones, it must share at least one attribute with each adjacent piece. Creating a four-way matchโknown as an “Ishido”โis highly difficult but awards massive bonus points. Use the Game Boy D-pad to move your cursor, press A to place a stone, and use Start or Select for game options (mapped to the arrow keys, Z, Enter, and Shift in your browser).
Tips
- Count your stones: There are exactly two copies of each unique symbol and background combination in the pouch. Keep track of what has already been played.
- Avoid dead ends: Be careful not to create empty spaces bordered by three or four pieces with completely different traits, as these spots can quickly become impossible to fill.
- Set up the Ishido: The center of the board is prime real estate for four-way matches. Build surrounding structures deliberately to leave the perfect opening for an Ishido.
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