Skip to content
Table for Duo

Onitama vs Santorini

One was built for two. The other just plays well at two.

By Scooter M. - - How we pick

Two light abstract strategy games compared on a table

Buy Onitama if you want a two-player-only design and a two-minute rules explanation; Arcane Wonders lists 2 players, 15 minutes. Buy Santorini if you want variety from its god powers and a striking table presence; Roxley lists 2-4 players, 20 minutes.

We earn a commission when you buy through links on this page, at no extra cost to you. It does not change which games we recommend or what we say about them. How this site is funded.

These are the two light abstracts we recommend to a pair who wants something with no luck but not much rules overhead. Both teach fast, both finish inside 20 minutes, and both are genuinely good.

The split is between a tight two-player-only design and a more flexible box with more variety in it.

Quick picks

#GamePlayersTimePrice
1

Onitama

Perfect information, sixteen move cards, and a rules explanation that takes under two minutes.

Built for two2 players15 minutes
2

Santorini

The best-looking game here, and the god powers turn a simple abstract into dozens of different games.

Plays at two2-4 players20 minutes

Player counts and playing times come from each publisher, cited on that game's review page. Tap a row to jump to the full write-up.

Verified specs

  • Onitama -- 2 players, 15 minutes, ages 14+, Arcane Wonders. Contents: roll-up playmat, 2 master pawns, 8 student pawns, 16 move cards.
  • Santorini -- 2-4 players, 20 minutes, ages 8+, Gord Hamilton, Roxley Games.
  • Under this site's rule, Onitama is Built for two and Santorini is Plays at two.

Where the variety comes from

Onitama gets its variety from the five move cards drawn from sixteen at setup. The rules never change; the tools do, and the passing mechanism -- using a card hands it to your opponent -- is constant.

Santorini gets its variety from god powers, which each break a rule outright. That is a bigger swing: a power can change what winning means, not just how you move. Some matchups are lopsided as a result.

Onitama's variety is tuned and Santorini's is wild. Which you prefer is mostly temperament, but a pair who wants a fair contest every time should take Onitama, and a pair who wants the box to surprise them should take Santorini.

Table presence and age

Santorini wins on presence by a distance. It builds a three-dimensional island in chunky molded pieces, and that is genuinely persuasive to someone who does not think board games are for them. Onitama is a small mat and some pawns.

Santorini is also listed at ages 8+ against Onitama's 14+, which is a wide gap for two games of similar rules weight. If a younger player is ever going to join, that matters.

Pick this if

  • Pick Onitama if you want a genuine two-player-only design, the shortest teach in the hobby, and a symmetric fair contest each game.
  • Pick Santorini if table presence matters, if a younger player might join, or if you want the base rules to be a launchpad for dozens of power combinations.
  • Pick Hive over either if you want the highest ceiling and the best portability -- it is the deeper abstract of the three.

The picks in full

#1

Onitama

Built for two2 players · 15 minutes · ages 14+

Perfect information, sixteen move cards, and a rules explanation that takes under two minutes.

A two-player-only abstract on a 5x5 grid. Five move cards are in play at once and they physically pass between the two of you, so arming yourself always arms the opponent.

Players
2
Playing time
15 minutes
Age
14+
Publisher
Arcane Wonders

Who should skip it

Skip it if you dislike losing to a mistake you can see clearly in hindsight. Nothing is hidden, so every loss is yours.

Read the full review

Specs from Onitama - Arcane Wonders (publisher).

#2

Santorini

Plays at two2-4 players · 20 minutes · ages 8+

The best-looking game here, and the god powers turn a simple abstract into dozens of different games.

A supports-more abstract that plays well at two. Move a worker, then build. First to step onto a third level wins -- and each side draws a god power that bends one rule.

Players
2-4
Playing time
20 minutes
Age
8+
Designer
Gord Hamilton
Publisher
Roxley Games

Who should skip it

Skip it if you want your two-player game to be two-player only. It supports up to four, and the base rules are thin without the god powers.

Read the full review

Specs from Santorini - Roxley Games (publisher).

Common questions

+Is Onitama or Santorini better for two players?

Onitama is the tighter two-player design -- Arcane Wonders lists exactly 2 players. Santorini is listed 2-4 and is excellent at two, but some of its design serves counts you will not use.

+Do the god powers make Santorini unbalanced?

Some matchups are lopsided, yes. Most players treat that as variety. If you want a symmetric fair contest every game, Onitama is the better choice.

+Which is better for kids?

Santorini, listed at ages 8+ against Onitama's 14+, and its three-dimensional building is more immediately appealing.

+How long do they take?

Onitama 15 minutes and Santorini 20 minutes per their publishers. Both are accurate once you know the rules, which takes only a few minutes for either.

Sources

We have not played these games. What we did instead is set out on how we pick.