___ _____ _ _ ___ _ _ ___
/ _ \_ _| || | __| | | | / _ \
| (_) || | | __ | _|| |__| |_| (_) |
\___/ |_| |_||_|___|____|____\___/
*Othello FAQ for Game Boy*
by Martin Dale-Hench
Version 1.0
[email protected]
AIM: hp9999mp99
==============================================================================
Table of Contents
==============================================================================
1) About the Game
2) Basics
• Gameplay Controls
• Game Options
• In-Game Menu
3) How to Play Othello
• Starting the Game
• Flipping Pieces
• How to Win
• Other Basic Rules
4) Advanced Strategies
• Board Layout
• Edges
• Corners
• Defense
5) Fin
==============================================================================
1) About the Game
==============================================================================
Othello is a well-known classic board game by Mattel (I think...) that has
the famous slogan, "A minute to learn, a lifetime to master." This game
favors logic and thinking ahead over agility or luck. With either black
or white, you have to trap the opponent's pieces to make that piece yours.
The cleverest player will get the most pieces once the 64-square board is
filled. Good luck.
==============================================================================
2) Basics
==============================================================================
_________________
Gameplay Controls
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Button | Purpose/Action
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
D-Pad | Move cursor.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A | Place a piece on the square. In the "Edit" Option, it can be used
| to place a black piece.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
B | In the actualy game, it has no use. However, it can be used in
| the "Edit" option in the In-Game Menu to place a white piece.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A+B | In the "Edit" function, it is used to eliminate a piece from the
| board.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Start | The only function is to start the game in the title screen.
| Absolutely NO pausing here!
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Select | While playing a game, you may use "Select" to reach the In-Game
| menu. For more information, check the In-Game section below.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
____________
Game Options
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
The options are on the menu right after you press start on the title screen.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Selection | Options
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Black Player" | Select the Black Player - can be you or one of 4 COM
| players
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"White Player" | Select the Black Player - can be you or one of 4 COM
| players - can be one of your friends for some 2-player
| action
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Music" | Turn Music On or Off
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Time Limit" | Select the Time Limit from those options: 5 Minutes;
| 10 Minutes; 20 Minutes; or No (infinity)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Start" | Begin the Game! Must have both players (B and W) inputed
| before you can enter the game
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
____________
In-Game Menu
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
During a game, you may press Select to open the In-Game Menu to tweak the
settings or even the board. The options:
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Selection | Options
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Black Player" | Change the player for Black
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"White Player" | Change the player for White
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Music" | Turn Music On or Off
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Edit" | Alter the pieces on the board. A button will place a
| Black piece, B button white. A+B will delete the piece
| from board. Cheat galore! ;) Press select to return.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Start" | Begin the Game! Must have both players (B and W) inputed
| before you can enter the game
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
==============================================================================
3) How to Play Othello
==============================================================================
_________________
Starting the Game
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
The board will ALWAYS start off looking like this:
W: White Piece
B: Black Piece
A B C D E F G H
----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- -----
1| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | |
----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- -----
2| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | |
----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- -----
3| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | |
----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- -----
4| | | | BBB | WWW | | | |
| | | | BBB | WWW | | | |
----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- -----
5| | | | WWW | BBB | | | |
| | | | WWW | BBB | | | |
----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- -----
6| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | |
----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- -----
7| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | |
----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- -----
8| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | |
----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- -----
The Black player will have the honor of placing the first piece.
___________________
Flipping the Pieces
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
To flip the enemy's piece into your color, you have to trap it between two of
your own color. For example, Black will place a piece on E3:
A B C D E F G H
----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- -----
1| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | |
----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- -----
2| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | |
----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- -----
3| | | | |*BBB*| | | |
| | | | |*BBB*| | | |
----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- -----
4| | | | BBB | WWW | | | |
| | | | BBB | WWW | | | |
----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- -----
5| | | | WWW | BBB | | | |
| | | | WWW | BBB | | | |
----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- -----
6| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | |
----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- -----
7| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | |
----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- -----
8| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | |
----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- -----
The White Piece on E4 is caught between two black pieces, on E3 and E5. There-
fore, it will be flipped to black:
A B C D E F G H
----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- -----
1| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | |
----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- -----
2| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | |
----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- -----
3| | | | | BBB | | | |
| | | | | BBB | | | |
----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- -----
4| | | | BBB |*BBB*| | | |
| | | | BBB |*BBB*| | | |
----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- -----
5| | | | WWW | BBB | | | |
| | | | WWW | BBB | | | |
----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- -----
6| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | |
----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- -----
7| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | |
----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- -----
8| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | |
----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- -----
This also works in all directions, including diagonally. Pieces in different
directions can be flipped from one move. Example: I placed a black piece on
F3:
A B C D E F G H
----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- -----
1| | | | BBB | | | | |
| | | | BBB | | | | |
----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- -----
2| | | | | WWW | | | |
| | | | | WWW | | | |
----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- -----
3| | | WWW | WWW | BBB |*BBB*| | |
| | | WWW | WWW | BBB |*BBB*| | |
----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- -----
4| | | | BBB | WWW | WWW | | |
| | | | BBB | WWW | WWW | | |
----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- -----
5| | | | WWW | BBB | WWW | | |
| | | | WWW | BBB | WWW | | |
----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- -----
6| | | WWW | | | WWW | | |
| | | WWW | | | WWW | | |
----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- -----
7| | WWW | | | | BBB | | |
| | WWW | | | | BBB | | |
----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- -----
8| BBB | | | | | | | |
| BBB | | | | | | | |
----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- -----
Now, as you can see, there are three different directions from F3 that has
white pieces between a black piece and the black piece on F3. Thus, all of
those trapped white pieces will be flipped... observe:
A B C D E F G H
----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- -----
1| | | | BBB | | | | |
| | | | BBB | | | | |
----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- -----
2| | | | |*BBB*| | | |
| | | | |*BBB*| | | |
----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- -----
3| | | WWW | WWW | BBB | BBB | | |
| | | WWW | WWW | BBB | BBB | | |
----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- -----
4| | | | BBB |*BBB*|*BBB*| | |
| | | | BBB |*BBB*|*BBB*| | |
----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- -----
5| | | |*BBB*| BBB |*BBB*| | |
| | | |*BBB*| BBB |*BBB*| | |
----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- -----
6| | |*BBB*| | |*BBB*| | |
| | |*BBB*| | |*BBB*| | |
----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- -----
7| |*BBB*| | | | BBB | | |
| |*BBB*| | | | BBB | | |
----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- -----
8| BBB | | | | | | | |
| BBB | | | | | | | |
----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- -----
The white pieces on C3 and D3 are not flipped because they are not between a
black piece and the black piece on F3. Clear?
__________
How to Win
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
There are two ways to win a Othello match:
-When the board is completely covered with pieces (64 in all), and you have
your color as the more populated one. Each piece yields one point, if you
want to think that way.
-When all of the pieces on the board are on your color's side. The opposing
player cannot place a piece that will not capture some of your pieces.
Therefore, he has to forfeit. Remember, this works BOTH ways, so be careful,
too!
_________________
Other Basic Rules
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
-You cannot place a piece that wouldn't get you any of the opponent's pieces.
-You will lose if all of the pieces on the board are on the opposing color.
However, if it is the opposite, you win.
-The pieces that are already between the opposing colors before you placed
your piece will be not turned over. It has to be between an opposing color
and the one that was just placed.
-If you have no possible places to place a piece to capture some others, but
still have some pieces on the board, you will have to skip a turn and give
the opponent another shot at it. Sad. :(
-Don't do drugs.
==============================================================================
4) Advanced Strategies
==============================================================================
____________
Board Layout
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
Here is the key to the terms I will be using in this section. Know them.
A B C D E F G H
----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- -----
1|#####|*****|%%%%%|%%%%%|%%%%%|%%%%%|*****|#####|
|#####|*****|%%%%%|%%%%%|%%%%%|%%%%%|*****|#####|
----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- -----
2|*****|*****|:::::|:::::|:::::|:::::|*****|*****| # - Corner
|*****|*****|:::::|:::::|:::::|:::::|*****|*****| * - Pre-Corners
----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- % - Edges
3|%%%%%|:::::| | | | |:::::|%%%%%| : - Pre-Edges
|%%%%%|:::::| | | | |:::::|%%%%%|
----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- (Credit to Mike Truitt
4|%%%%%|:::::| | | | |:::::|%%%%%| for this layout)
|%%%%%|:::::| | | | |:::::|%%%%%|
----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- -----
5|%%%%%|:::::| | | | |:::::|%%%%%|
|%%%%%|:::::| | | | |:::::|%%%%%|
----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- -----
6|%%%%%|:::::| | | | |:::::|%%%%%|
|%%%%%|:::::| | | | |:::::|%%%%%|
----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- -----
7|*****|*****|:::::|:::::|:::::|:::::|*****|*****|
|*****|*****|:::::|:::::|:::::|:::::|*****|*****|
----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- -----
8|#####|*****|%%%%%|%%%%%|%%%%%|%%%%%|*****|#####|
|#####|*****|%%%%%|%%%%%|%%%%%|%%%%%|*****|#####|
----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- -----
_____
Edges
¯¯¯¯¯
The edges here are very important to winning the match. This allows you to
control the rows and columns more easily. It is very difficult to flip the
coin on an edge since there's no square behind it, only to the sides. If
you see a choice or chance to 'own' an edge, pounce on it!
_______
Corners
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
Edges are pretty inferior when you come to corners. If you access a corner,
you're pretty much invinicible. That piece CANNOT be relinquished under any
conditions. Go for the corner at all costs. The more corners you have, the
better your chance of winning is. Owning all 4 corners is almost an automatic
win.
_______
Defense
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
However, there is a techinque of defensing the edges and corners. You do not
want to let the opponent get to the corner. Therefore, do not place any pieces
on the pre-corners (check my board above). That would easily allow the
opponent an easy way to capture the corner. So, wait for him/her to place one
there. It might take a while, but eventually the spots on the board will run
out, you know! Also, though it is not as severe as pre-corners, try to keep
away from pre-edges unless the opponent would not have a good chance to get
to the edges.
Thinking ahead is the key. The game is about limiting your opponent, not to
rack up points.
THINK AHEAD!!!!!!!!
==============================================================================
5) Fin
==============================================================================
Disclaimer
----------
I don't mind having my FAQs posted on other sites, but I don't fancy having
them posted without my knowledge. Just ask me and I will gladly allow you to
do so. my e-mail is
[email protected]. The following FAQs has my
permission:
www.gamefaqs.com
faqs.ign.com
www.neoseeker.com
www.cheathappens.com
----------
Version 1.0 --- FAQ completed. Go me
(05/04/04)
Thanks to:
-CJayC
-Nintendo <3
-Mike Truitt for his Othello FAQ for Atari 2600. Gave me some good pointers.
Hell, my format kind of came from that FAQ! >_> Thanks Mr. Truitt!
________) _____ __ __)
(, / (, / (, /| /
/___, / / | /
) / ___/__ ) / |/
(_/ (__ / (_/ '
Copyright Martin Dale-Hench 2004
