Board games
Santorini
Spin MasterGordon Hamilton2016
- players
- 2–4
- minutes
- 20
- years
- 8+
In the box
1 raised island and its base · Building blocks and domes · Workers · God cards
Official rules (PDF, publisher's site)
Box details
- Designer
- Gordon Hamilton
- Artwork
- Lina Cossette, David Forest
- Publisher
- Spin Master
- Mechanics
- Grid MovementOnce-Per-Game AbilitiesSudden Death Ending
Where to buy it
Near you and online
In a shop
Within 50 km.
Online
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The basics
Be the first to move one of your workers up onto the third level of a tower. On your turn, move one of your workers one space, going up one level at most, then it builds the next level on a neighbouring space, a dome topping a third level. Moving up onto the third level wins at once, and a player who can no longer move or build loses.
Checked against the official rules · October 2026
The rules, step by step
Setup
5 × 5 grid, 2 workers each
- The board is a grid of five by five spaces, empty at the start.
- Each player has two workers. The youngest player goes first: they place both their workers on unoccupied spaces, then the others place theirs.
How to play
Move then build, Up 1 level at most, Dome on the 3rd level
- On your turn, move one of your workers, then build with that same worker.
- Moving: one space, in any of the eight directions, onto an unoccupied space. You may move up one level at most, but you may move down several.
- Building: on an unoccupied space next to the worker that just moved, place the next level, whatever the height. On a third level, place a dome; three levels topped with a dome make a complete tower.
- A space occupied by a worker or topped with a dome cannot be entered.
Scoring
No points, 1 win per game
- No points. Record a win for the winner of each game.
End of the game
Move up to 3rd level, Stuck: you lose
- Moving up onto the third level during your move wins immediately. Moving from one third level to another does not count.
- A player who can no longer move any worker, or who cannot build after moving, loses.
House rules and pitfalls
The rulebook recommends starting with two players and no God Powers.
- The rulebook recommends starting with two players and no God Powers. The game is designed first and foremost for two.
- With three or four players, God Powers are mandatory, and only those marked for that player count.
- With three, a player who is stuck removes their workers and God Power; the game goes on between the others.
- With four, play in two teams of two, sharing two workers and alternating turns; each player keeps their own God Power. One player's win is their team's win.
Going further
Frequently asked questions · In the same family
Frequently asked questions
Does building on a third level win the game?
No: you must move up onto it. Building a third level scores nothing, and placing a dome on it stops anyone from moving up there.
Are the God Power cards required?
No. You can play without them for a first game; each God then grants a power that changes the basic rules.