What is Ishidō: The Way of Stones?

Ishido is a first-class strategy game in the "a minute to learn, a lifetime to master” tradition. One object of the game is to empty the 50 tiles from your “pouch” onto the 100 squares of the playing hoard.

Naturally, there's a catch: Each tile shows a pattern and a shape. You can place a tile on the board only next to another tile of either the same pattern or the same shape. To place a tile in a space adjacent to two tiles, you must match one by pattern and the other by shape. To place a tile in a space surrounded by four tiles, you must match two neighbors by pattern and two by shape. Making these four-way matches is the other object of the game.

If you're familiar with games such as Go and Shanghai, you can probably anticipate the kind of strategic tracking and planning needed to succeed at Ishido. The real surprises, though, are the interesting little touches that are just as much a pan of Ishido as its rules and strategies. Let's start with the one that hits you like a ton of tiles: the $495 price. No, I didn't drop the decimal point. This “limited edition” game lists for almost $500. (The game’s creator, Publishing International, has sold the majority of the 1,000 units to a distributor; ... In addition to status and exclusivity, the premium price gets you numbered editions of both color and black-and-white versions of the game software, illustrated manuals explaining the legend and meaning of the tiles, a distributable six-play version of the game with which to hook your friends, and a wooden case in which to store it all.

But if you haven’t had oysters or Manhattan real estate named after you, you'll be relieved to know that a nonlimited edition of the game for the masses is in the works; Accolade ... will be that version's distributor.

UPSCALE UPSHOT Ishido offers a host of other goodies: The menu bar is hidden during game play — eliminating distractions and enhancing the already stunning graphic aesthetics — but pops into view whenever you click at the top of the screen. Also, Ishido converts all entries on its menus (as well as system menus) into its own special font and — another nice touch—transforms the menu bar's Apple logo into a yin-yang symbol.

There's an ample selection of alternative tile shapes and patterns, and you can edit and import your own for further variety, Naturally, there are solitaire and multiperson modes, a mode in which you play against the computer, and a spectator mode in which you watch two computer players compete. There’s also an option in which the computer plays with you, pointing out all legal moves in advance (speeding up game play as well as an Oracle that politely notes your attempts to make illegal moves and offers you various ways to cheat legally (which it lets you do, at the expense of losing the right to be listed in the high-score hall of fame).

Underlying all these options is the true meaning of Ishido: an I Ching-based guide to the meaning of life — your life, specifically. You can enable and disable this fortune-telling aspect of the game, in which high scores are rewarded by insights and answers to your innermost questions,

THE BOTTOM LINE As a top-drawer (albeit a pricey drawer) strategy game, Ishido is flawless. But wonderful as the game is, I'm left with one unanswered question for the Ishido Oracle: When will the unlimited edition, priced for the masses, be available? The idea of a limited run may work as a marketing gimmick, but for those left out, it hardly seems like fair play.

Zilber, Jon. (May 1990). Ishido. MacUser. (pgs. 71, 73).

Download Ishidō: The Way of Stones for Mac

Architecture

Motorola 68K

System Requirements

From Mac OS 6.0 up to Mac OS 9.2

Compatibility notes

Minimum Requirements

• 1.4 MB floppy drive
• Black & White version
  • 650 KB RAM available
  • 1 MB hard disk available
• Color version
  • 2 MB RAM available
  • 6 MB hard disk available

Emulating this? It could probably run under: Mini vMac