{"title":"Designer: André Perriolat","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAndré Perriolat\u003c\/strong\u003e is the French designer behind \u003cstrong\u003eKatamino\u003c\/strong\u003e, the acclaimed wooden block puzzle game that challenges players to fit pentominoes into increasingly complex configurations. His design philosophy emphasizes tactile, spatial reasoning challenges that unfold through progressive difficulty levels, allowing the same physical components to scale from accessible children's puzzles to brain-burning adult challenges. Katamino's elegant approach turns geometric problem-solving into a meditative experience, with over 36,000 possible combinations built into its deceptively simple wooden tray.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ePerriolat's work appeals strongly to puzzle enthusiasts, educators seeking mathematical thinking tools, and families looking for screen-free activities that engage spatial intelligence. The solo-focused nature of Katamino makes it ideal for quiet concentration sessions, though its quick setup and clear goals also work well for friendly speed competitions. Players who enjoy abstract strategy, tangram-style challenges, or games that reward pattern recognition will find his design approach deeply satisfying.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"katamino","title":"Katamino","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eKatamino\u003c\/strong\u003e is a spatial reasoning puzzle where you arrange coloured pentominoes—geometric pieces made of five squares—into a confined grid. Designed by André Perriolat and published by Gigamic in 1992, it challenges you to fill spaces perfectly, with no gaps or overlaps. The wooden board adjusts to create grids of different sizes, each presenting a fresh configuration to solve.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSolo play offers progressive difficulty across hundreds of puzzles. Start with a small 3×5 grid using just a few pieces, then expand the playing area and add more pentominoes as your pattern recognition improves. The two-player mode turns it into a race: both players work simultaneously to complete their side of the board first, testing speed and spatial visualisation under pressure.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eEach game takes around 10 minutes, making it easy to fit multiple attempts into a session. At a complexity weight of 1.76, it's accessible for ages 8 and up while still offering enough challenge to engage adults. The tactile wooden pieces and compact board make it satisfying to handle and simple to reset between rounds.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Gigamic","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":58386331435392,"sku":"3421273302016","price":28.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1003\/9505\/7536\/files\/KATAMINOMLVversion.png?v=1783194603"}],"url":"https:\/\/mpgames.io\/collections\/designer-andre-perriolat.oembed","provider":"MPGames","version":"1.0","type":"link"}