Helvetiq’s board game Alto is all about reaching new heights
30-6-2026
Translation: Elicia Payne
Pictures: Stephan Lamprecht
Sixteen tiles, a few wooden counters and two players: at first glance, you’d think this small square box was just a simple pastime. But there is, in fact, more to this game than the packaging suggests.
Alto comes in a small, beautifully designed box. At just over ten centimetres in length and weighing 140 grammes, the game’s perfectly pocket-sized. It’s a classic travel game, through and through. All 18 game pieces are even made out of wood. I’m surprised: for a price of around 16 euros, I’d have expected it to be made of plastic.
In terms of the basic concept, Alto reminds me a bit of Nine Men’s Morris. The players try to hinder each other by making tactical moves with their game pieces while also building the tallest towers possible.
Simple rules
You can learn the rules in just a few minutes. First, you arrange the 16 tiles (with printed front and back sides) in a 4-by-4 grid. To begin with, the lighter-coloured side faces up.
The two players choose their colour of counter and take turns placing the wooden counters in the gaps on the tiles. One counter is set aside just in case, so that the two of them still remember their colours at the end.
The youngest person always gets to go first. The symbol on the tile determines the direction in which you can move a counter in: diagonally, at 90 degrees or in any direction.
When it’s my go, I’m not limited to «my» colour. I can also move my opponent’s counters. That’s how you form a tower, which is the main idea of the game. Points are awarded depending on the position of your counter in the tower. Sometimes you’re even allowed to move an entire tower.
As soon as you leave a tile behind, you have to flip it over to the black side. The next time it’s used, it’ll disappear from the grid.
The game ends when no more moves are possible. Then the scores are tallied up. Height matters because the counters you place higher up in the tower earn more points. In other words, if one of your counters is positioned sixth in the tower, you get six points for it.
The great thing about Alto is that the gameplay’s actually intuitive. The instructions are clear, and after just a few moves, you get the hang of the game. Since the rules are so simple, Alto’s also suitable for younger children.
You have fewer options as the playing field shrinks
Given how simple the rules were, I was afraid I’d get bored quickly. Alto, however, offers an amazing depth of gameplay. Two mechanisms are at work here.
Since the tiles change colour after each move, it’s impossible to plan moves and paths far in advance. This is because the moves you’re allowed to do differ on each side of the tile. Even when you’ve figured out a way to reach the tallest tower possible, your opponent can make a move, and the tile will change the route.
And the grid gets smaller and smaller over time. Every time a tile is used for the second time, it leaves the playing field. The 4-by-4 grid gets smaller, the room to manoeuvre gets tighter, and the decisions are all the more critical. What seemed like plenty in the middle of the game becomes a bottleneck toward the end.
For me, this is exactly what makes Alto so appealing. It’s not just a strategy game that can be completely calculated. The changing states of the tiles, combined with your opponent’s moves, keep you on your toes.
Strategy meets chance: a fair compromise
Alto has struck a balance between strategy and pure luck. If you enjoy complex strategy games like chess, you might find Alto too easy. After all, with Alto, you can’t really control or plan your moves.
And the game also ends much faster than chess. On average, my rounds lasted about 15 minutes. That’s not too long, especially when you’re playing with kids. And anticipating and planning their own moves shouldn’t be too much for (school-aged) children to handle.
To sum it up, two players play for 15 minutes and have one clear goal.
In a nutshell
Small, clever, entertaining
Alto isn’t a game that reinvents the world. It’s quick to set up, keeps you engaged with its surprises and offers 15 to 20 minutes of fun. The shrinking playing field, the changing tiles and tower building come together to form a satisfying little package.
This is a casual two-player game that still requires some brainpower.
Pro
- Original, easy-to-understand gameplay
- Suitable for children as well
- Perfect length for break in the day
- Beautifully designed (wooden game pieces)
Header image: Stephan Lamprecht
Hamburg local, bookworm, and ice hockey fan. Dad and granddad. Constantly tinkering around with my smart home setup. I love DIY, the outdoors, fashion, and cosmetics.
