One Up (Timberdoodle Review)

My kids and grandkids tried out a couple of new games from Timberdoodle this week, including a seriously fun strategy game called One Up.

The game can be played by two, three, or four players. The object is simple: Line up four of your own colored playing pieces in a row, vertically, horizontally, or diagonally, or place one in each of the four starting corners.

What makes the game challenging is the fact that on each successive round, the number of moves every player is allowed during their turn increases by one.

So, whereas in the beginning, you need only think one move ahead, by the end of the game, you must anticipate a wide range of moves that may occur before play passes back to you.

Also, all four colors remain on the board, even when fewer than four people are playing. That leaves very few empty spaces pieces can move to.

Do you have family members who would enjoy playing One Up? [2026 UPDATE: Although our favorite strategy game supplier, Timberdoodle, no longer carries this game, you can still find it here.]

And while you’re on the Timberdoodle website, I’d encourage you to look around. We love everything we’ve ever ordered from this small family-owned company!

Be sure to sign up for their Doodle Dollar program to save on future purchases. And to see more of my Timberdoodle Reviews, simply scroll to the bottom of my Homeschool Help page, and you can read them all!

PLEASE NOTE: As a member of the Timberdoodle blog team, I routinely receive free or deeply discounted products in exchange for writing honest reviews. Opinions expressed in these posts are 100% my own. I’ve been a happy and enthusiastic Timberdoodle customer for decades — long before I ever started blogging for their company.