---
title: Catena
tags:
- board game
- mind games
- othello
years:
- '1978'
params:
  image: /media/museum/software/apf_m1000_catena_box_m.jpg
  specs:
  - label: year of release
    value: '1978'
  - label: companies
    value: APF Electronics
  - label: type
    value: game
  - label: media
    value: cartridge
  - label: systems
    value: APF MP1000 systems
  - label: number of players
    value: 1 - 2 players (alternate)
  screenshots:
  - title: title screen
    subtitle: ''
    text: ''
    image: /media/museum/software/apf_m1000_catena_ss0000.png
  - title: let's play against the computer
    subtitle: ''
    text: ''
    image: /media/museum/software/apf_m1000_catena_ss0001.png
  - title: ''
    subtitle: ''
    text: ''
    image: /media/museum/software/apf_m1000_catena_ss0002.png
  - title: ''
    subtitle: ''
    text: ''
    image: /media/museum/software/apf_m1000_catena_ss0003.png
  - title: ''
    subtitle: ''
    text: ''
    image: /media/museum/software/apf_m1000_catena_ss0004.png
  - title: ''
    subtitle: ''
    text: ''
    image: /media/museum/software/apf_m1000_catena_ss0005.png
  - title: ''
    subtitle: ''
    text: ''
    image: /media/museum/software/apf_m1000_catena_ss0006.png
  - title: ''
    subtitle: ''
    text: ''
    image: /media/museum/software/apf_m1000_catena_ss0007.png
  - title: I won !
    subtitle: ''
    text: ''
    image: /media/museum/software/apf_m1000_catena_ss0009.png
  - title: Cartridge
    subtitle: ''
    text: ''
    image: /media/museum/software/apf_mp1000_catena_cart_1.jpg
  - title: Back of cartridge
    subtitle: ''
    text: ''
    image: /media/museum/software/apf_mp1000_catena_cart_back_1.jpg
  - title: Top of cartridge
    subtitle: ''
    text: ''
    image: /media/museum/software/apf_mp1000_catena_cart_top_1.jpg
  - title: box
    subtitle: ''
    text: ''
    image: /media/museum/software/apf_m1000_catena_box.jpg
  machines:
  - /museum/apf-imagination-machine
  company: /companies/apf
  oc_id: 670
  source:
    url: https://web.archive.org/web/20230224114117/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/software_detail.asp?id=670
    date: '2023-02-24'
---

"A game of skill and challenge designed for the whole family to play.

Play ends when every square is occupied. The winner is the one with the majority of squares in his color.

The game board is constructed of 64 squares. After the board is laid out, each player than takes a turn, making one mobe for each turn. A move consists of placing a square of your color so that:

\- it is next to an opponent square\
\- the other side of your opponents square is bordered by a square of your color. When this occurs, all the surrounded opponents' squares then change to become your color."

Catena plays in fact exactly like Othello or Reversi.

There are three game options:\
\- 2 players\
\- 1 player vs computer\
\- computer vs itself (seat and watch)

This makes it one of the first board game adaptation to propose to play against the computer!