Tsuro

Lore & Background

Tom McMurchie received a patent for the 'Squiggle game' in 1979, which described two implementations. The first, commercialized largely intact as Tsuro, used square tiles with four entry points per side (two on each side edge) and four paths. The second used square tiles with eight entry points and four paths per tile, with entry points at the middle of each side and at each corner. The preferred board size was a 6×6 grid, and what became the Dragon tile was initially called the NEXT card. Dawne and Jordan Weisman, owners of Games and Gizmos in Bellevue, Washington, watched McMurchie playing Squiggles and asked if he would be interested in publishing the game. The Weismans founded WizKids and reworked Squiggles into Tsuro, switching the original 1950s theme to a Japanese-inspired one. The game was released in 2005. WizKids was later acquired by Topps and then NECA, and the rights reverted to McMurchie. Ray Wehrs, former director of sales for WizKids, purchased a license and founded Calliope Games in 2011 with Tsuro as its flagship product. In 2012, actor and blogger Wil Wheaton featured the game in a YouTube video, causing sales to spike.

Reader's Guide

Tsuro is significant as a modern board game that popularized simple tile-laying mechanics with strategic depth, leading to numerous themed editions and expansions. Its core gameplay—placing tiles to move pieces while avoiding elimination—has remained consistent across versions, though some introduce larger boards or expanded rules. The game's history illustrates a transition from a 1979 patent to commercial success through WizKids and later Calliope Games, with a notable sales boost from online exposure. Variants include the German version by KOSMOS with a two-sided board and 64 tiles, the Star Wars-themed Asteroid Escape with asteroid tiles, and Tsuro of the Seas with daikaiju tiles. The game's legacy includes digital adaptations by Thunderbox Entertainment and publication in multiple languages. Its design has been cited in patent examinations, referencing earlier road-building games, and its patent provided specific names for player actions such as SHORT CUTS, SUICIDE, MEDDLING, COLLISIONS, and INHERITANCE.

Did You Know?

• The name Tsuro comes from the Japanese word tsūro (通路), meaning 'route,' and the word appears in kanji on the game board.
• The Dragon tile was originally called the NEXT card in the 1979 patent.
• The German version of Tsuro, published by KOSMOS in 2007, used little tree figures as player pieces instead of dragon stones.
• In 2012, actor and blogger Wil Wheaton featured Tsuro in a YouTube video, causing a spike in sales.