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Elements gather energy in unique patterns, challenging you with finding the ideal route to balance and harmony. Earth digs deep, Water flows wide, Fire rises high, Wind blows freely, and Void slips between the rest. Can you gain the understanding you need to uncover true elemental wisdom?
A Gorinto is a type of Japanese pagoda of the five elements: earth (cube), water (sphere), fire (pyramid), air (crescent), and void (lotus). It often housed the relic of a Buddha or saint, and together represent the realm of perfect understanding.
In Gorinto, players take turns selecting element tiles from the Path (perimeter) and moving them onto the Mountain (game board). Each element collects in a unique pattern. The elements collected each turn will allow you to collect more elements over the turns and rounds.
Points are scored at the end of each round based on goals selected at the start of the game, as well as the elements chosen at the end of the game. The player with the most points at the end of the game wins.
Will you achieve perfect understanding?
—description from the publisher
- Strong solo play
- Engaging puzzle mechanics
- Array
- Array
- puzzle solving through collection and placement
- Array
- A grid-based puzzle world with colored tokens and symbols that you manipulate to reveal effects.
- Array
- Array
- Puzzle-first with strong solo mode.
- Array
- positive
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Grid reveal — Revealing underlying pieces as you place adds depth.
- Pattern/set collection — Collecting sets of colored symbols yields benefits.
- Resource management — Empty spaces influence future choices and scoring.
- Resource/space management — Empty spaces influence future choices and scoring.
- set collection — Collecting sets of colored symbols yields benefits.
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- It's very clever.
- these are five very underrated games.
- What are some of the games that you really enjoy but you don't see being talked about?
- Give me a like and a follow and I'll keep bringing you more board game content. Thanks. Bye.
- So, this one is so cool.
- I love the solo on this.
- This is a really good time.
References (from this video)
- Compact, simple components
- Includes solo and co-op modes for replayability
- Thematic, abstract puzzle feel
- Clear box text and theme on the back of the box
- Draw bag and multiple colors for player markers
- Some components feel light; could be heavier
- Tile weight/feel lighter than expected
- Color tones on video may differ from real life
- Orientation of symbols on tiles could be confusing at first
- Balancing elemental forces to develop a shrine and meet evolving challenges
- Abstract, shrine-building theme inspired by five elements; players balance a Gorinto shrine to gain wisdom
- Procedural puzzle-driven with minimal narrative
- Azul
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- bag building — Use a draw bag to draw components and determine available actions
- Co-op / partnership mode — A cooperative variant where players work together on the shrine
- Draw bag randomness — Use a draw bag to draw components and determine available actions
- Resource balancing of five elements — Manage earth, water, fire, wind, and void resources to optimize shrine balance
- Solo mode rules — Rules and components specific to solo play, including additional markers
- Stacking and Balancing — Manage earth, water, fire, wind, and void resources to optimize shrine balance
- tile placement — Place and stack elemental tiles to shape the Gorinto shrine and influence scoring
- Tile placement / stacking — Place and stack elemental tiles to shape the Gorinto shrine and influence scoring
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- a calm and compelling abstract game where you must harness the power of the five elements earth water fire wind and void to build a gorinto memorial shrine
- you seek to achieve the most wisdom balancing your shrine to meet a new challenge each time each time you play
- it's obviously solo friendly
- there's a co-op version on the back that's partnership mode
- cool
- very simple components
- i'm sure i'll be doing a play through of this solo mode
- not huge probably the size of a chess board