Play Pylos Online — Pyramid Stacking Strategy Game

Pylos on Arcadia

Pylos is the modern abstract strategy classic designed by David G. Royffe and published by Gigamic in 1986. Two players take turns stacking spheres into a four-level pyramid. The catch: each side has only 15 spheres, but the pyramid needs 30 — so the only way to win is to recycle spheres by completing 2×2 squares of your own colour and taking pieces back from the board.

How to Play

Setup: A 4×4 base, a 3×3 mid-level, a 2×2 upper, and a single apex sphere on top. Each player has 15 spheres in reserve.

Each turn: 1. Place one of your spheres on any empty placeable position. 2. The 4×4 base is always playable. 3. Higher levels are only playable when all four supporting spheres below them are filled. 4. If your placement completes a 2×2 square of your own colour (on any level), you may take back one or two of your own spheres from anywhere on the pyramid — into your reserve. 5. You may only take back spheres that aren't supporting another sphere above them.

Winning: Place the final sphere at the apex to win. If a player runs out of spheres and can't move, they lose.

Core Rules

4-level pyramid: 4×4 base, 3×3, 2×2, single apex
30 total positions, 15 spheres per player
Higher levels require all 4 supporting spheres below to be filled
Completing a 2×2 of your colour earns 1–2 take-backs (optional, can be skipped)
Take-backs require the sphere not be supporting anything above
Apex placement is the win condition
Running out of reserves means defeat

Strategy

Sphere economy is everything. With only 15 spheres each, every take-back is worth roughly two placements. Aggressively chase 2×2 squares.
Block opponent squares. A single intrusion of your colour into a 2×2 the opponent is building denies them a take-back — and the take-backs are how the game is won.
Don't build for the opponent. Placing into a saddle that completes their support structure can hand them an easy upper-level placement. Think one move ahead at the support layer.
Save your placements for level 2 and 3. Level-0 base placements are cheap; the spheres that matter most are the ones that climb.
Keep removable spheres in mind. A sphere on the base that nobody is supporting is a future free move — you'll want to take it back the moment you complete a square.

Practical Tips

The orange-pulsing slot is the apex — a winning move when it appears.
The glowing spheres during the claim phase are the ones you can take back.
You can choose to skip the claim — it's optional, not mandatory.
The AI plays the highest-value placement: apex if available, then squares, then climbing positions.
Three difficulty levels: Easy (more random), Medium (balanced), Hard (sharpest evaluation).

FAQ

Who designed Pylos?

Pylos was designed by David G. Royffe and published by the French boardgame house Gigamic in 1986. It is part of Gigamic's celebrated wooden abstract strategy line alongside Quarto and Quoridor.

How many spheres does each player get?

Each player starts with 15 spheres. The pyramid holds 30 total positions, so neither player can complete the pyramid alone — you must reclaim spheres by completing 2×2 squares.

What happens when I complete a 2×2 square?

You may take back one or two of your own spheres from the pyramid into your reserve, to be played again later. The take-back is optional. You may only take back spheres that aren't supporting another sphere above them.

How do you win Pylos?

Place a sphere at the apex (the single position at the top of the pyramid). Alternatively, if your opponent runs out of spheres in reserve and can't move, you win by default.