Editing Icehouse pieces

{{Short description|Pyramid shaped gaming pieces}}
{{use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox game
| name          = Icehouse pieces
| subtitle      = 
| image         = Icehouse_pieces.jpg
| image_size    = 
| image_alt     = Various Icehouse pieces
| caption       = Various Icehouse pieces
| width         = 
| label_width   = 
| other_names   = {{ubl|Icehouse pyramids|Treehouse Pyramids|Looney Pyramids (official)}}
| AKA           = 
| manufacturer  = Grand Prix International
| designer      = {{ubl|John Cooper|[[Andrew Looney]]}}
| illustrator   = 
| actor         = 
| voice_over    = 
| publisher     = [[Looney Labs]]
| date          = {{start date and age|1989}}
| years         = 1987–present
| genre         = Game system
| language      = 
| system        = 
| players       = 
| ages          = 
| setup_time    = 
| playing_time  = 
| random_chance = 
| skills        = 
| materials     = 
| media_type    = 
| blank_label   = 
| blank_data    = 
| website       = {{URL|icehousegames.com}}
| footnotes     = 
}}

'''Icehouse pieces''', or '''Icehouse Pyramids''',<ref name="gdad" /> '''Treehouse pieces''', '''Treehouse Pyramids'''<ref name="gdad" /> and officially '''Looney Pyramids''', are nestable and stackable [[pyramid]]-shaped gaming pieces and a game system. The game system was invented by [[Andrew Looney]] and John Cooper in 1987, originally for use in the game of Icehouse.<ref name=wr>{{cite magazine|last1=Liu|first1=Jonathan H.|title=Looney Pyramids Are Back|url=http://archive.wired.com/geekdad/2013/01/looney-pyramids/|accessdate=June 8, 2015|magazine=Wired|agency=Geek Dad|publisher=Condé Nast|date=January 3, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141022002447/http://archive.wired.com/geekdad/2013/01/looney-pyramids|archive-date=October 22, 2014}} [http://geekdad.com/2013/01/looney-pyramids/ Alt URL]</ref>

==History==
Andrew Looney in 1987 penned a sci-fi short story,<ref name=wt>{{cite news|last1=Barnes|first1=Denise|title=The Looneys devise a game plan|url=http://www.wunderland.com/LooneyLabs/WashingtonTimes.8.27.98.html|accessdate=June 18, 2015|work=Washington Times|date=August 27, 1998}}</ref> "The Empty City", that included a game called Icehouse, an ancient Martian game.<ref name=gms>{{cite journal|last1=West|first1=Susan|title=The Looney Labs Experiment|journal=GAMES|volume=October 2005|url=http://www.wunderland.com/LooneyLabs/Press/200510_gamesmag.html|accessdate=June 16, 2015}}</ref> Readers requested to learn how to play the game. Thus actual rules were invented for Icehouse by Andrew Looney, Kristin Wunderlich (then future wife of Looney) and John Cooper, then plastic pyramid pieces were made to play the game.<ref name=wt/><ref name=gms/> The first commercially available set were solid non-stackable pyramids released in 1989 with only 100 sets made.<ref name=gms/> The pieces were made from resin in his apartment, which upset the landlord.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Ford|first1=C. Benjamin|title=Looneys working through the serious business of fun|url=http://ww2.gazette.net/gazette_archive/2002/200247/business/news/132311-1.html|accessdate=June 16, 2015|work=The Gazette|publisher=Post Community Media, LLC|date=November 22, 2002|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150617194419/http://ww2.gazette.net/gazette_archive/2002/200247/business/news/132311-1.html|archive-date=June 17, 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref> After several years, Looney shut down Icehouse Games, Inc. and soon started another gaming company, [[Looney Labs|Looney Laboratories]], in 1996.<ref name=wt/><ref>{{cite news|title=History of Icehouse Games, 1987-1998|url=http://wunderland.com/icehouse/IcehouseHistory1987-98.html|accessdate=June 22, 2015|work=wunderland.com|publisher=Looney Labs|date=1998}}</ref>

Additional games beyond Icehouse were created including [[Martian chess|Martian Chess]], [[Zendo (game)|Zendo]], and Homeworlds.<ref name=wr/> Looney then created the [[IceTowers]] game which used stacking pyramids leading to a change in the pyramid pieces' specification for stacking. The four games were released as a part of [[Icehouse: The Martian Chess Set]], which was the first Icehouse pyramid system release by Looney Labs.<ref name=gms/> In 2001, Icehouse: The Martian Chess Set won the [[Origins Award]] for ''Best Abstract Board Game of 2000''.<ref name=pyd>{{cite news|last1=Jackson|first1=Micah|title=Origins Awards Announced: Pyramid Wins Best Magazine|url=http://www.sjgames.com/pyramid/origins2000.html|accessdate=June 8, 2015|work=Pyramid Magazine|publisher=Steve Jackson Games|date=July 7, 2001}}</ref> Icehouse was recognized as a game system in the game design textbook ''Rules of Play'' by Katue Salen and Eric Zimmerman.<ref name=gms/>

By June 21, 2002, Icehouse pieces were being sold in tubes containing a stash, or 15 pyramids of a single color, with nine colors available. Labs then released the book ''Playing With Pyramids'', which contained a dozen games by the Looneys, Cooper, Kory Heath and Jacob Davenport.<ref>{{cite magazine |date=June 21, 2002 |title=Playing with Pyramids: 12 Games for Icehouse Pieces |url=http://www.sjgames.com/pyramid/sample.html?id=2852  |magazine=Pyramid |department=Pyramid Pick |publisher=Steve Jackson Games |volume=2 |access-date=May 25, 2017 }}</ref>

In 2004, the Zendo boxed set won ''Best Abstract Board Game of 2003'',<ref name=icv1>{{cite news|title=Origins Award Winners for 2003|url=http://icv2.com/articles/games/view/5173/origins-award-winners-for-2003|accessdate=June 8, 2015|work=ICv2|date=June 28, 2004}}</ref> In 2005 the set won the Mensa Select Game Award.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Arneson |first1=Erik |title=Mensa Select Award Winners |url=http://boardgames.about.com/od/awards/a/mensa_select.htm |website=About |access-date=June 24, 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150626134309/http://boardgames.about.com/od/awards/a/mensa_select.htm |archive-date=June 26, 2015 }}</ref> While in 2007, [[Treehouse (game)|Treehouse]] won the Origins Award for ''Best Board Game of 2006''.<ref name=icv2>{{cite news|title=2007 Origins Award Winners|url=http://icv2.com/articles/games/view/10881/2007-origins-award-winners|accessdate=June 8, 2015|work=ICv2|date=July 9, 2007}}</ref>

Looney Labs relaunched the Icehouse pieces as "Looney Pyramids" with new packaging with its IceDice set in June 2011<ref name=icv>{{cite news|last1=Niebling|first1=William|title=Review of 'IceDice'|url=http://icv2.com/articles/games/view/19745/review-icedice|accessdate=June 10, 2015|work=ICv2|date=March 30, 2011}}</ref> followed by Pink Hijinks in December 2012.<ref name=icv0>{{cite news|last1=Niebling|first1=William|title=Review: 'Looney Pyramids'--'Treehouse' AND 'Pink Hijinks'|url=http://icv2.com/articles/games/view/24620/review-looney-pyramids-treehouse-pink-hijinks|accessdate=June 10, 2015|work=ICv2|date=December 17, 2012}}</ref> By 2013, the IcehouseGames.org website listed 400 games playable with icehouse pyramids.<ref name=wr/>

Original prototype under the name of ''Pyramid Throwdown'' in 2015, ''Pyramid Arcade'' was launched as a [[Kickstarter]] campaign on April 5, 2016.<ref>{{cite news|title=Kickstarter Tabletop Alert: 'Pyramid Arcade'|url=https://geekdad.com/2016/04/pyramid-arcade/|accessdate=May 25, 2017|work=GeekDad|date=April 5, 2016}}</ref> The new boxed pyramid set was funded in under 12 hours. Racking up $150 thousand total, the set shipped to supporters in fall 2016.<ref name="gdad">{{cite news|last1=Liu|first1=Jonathan H.|title=Reaping the Rewards: Looney Labs' 'Pyramid Arcade'|url=https://geekdad.com/2016/10/pyramid-arcade-2/|accessdate=May 25, 2017|work=GeekDad|date=October 18, 2016}}</ref> Looney Labs put their Pyramid Quartet, ''Nomids'', ''Ice Duo'', ''Martian Chess'' and ''Homeworlds'', together up on Kickstarter in February 2020, which was funded in three hours.<ref name="ttgn">{{cite news |title=Looney Labs Launches Pyramid Quartet Kickstarter |url=https://www.tabletopgamingnews.com/Looney-Labs-Launches-Pyramid-Quartet-Kickstarter |accessdate=April 22, 2020 |work=Tabletop Gaming News |date=February 20, 2020}}</ref>

== Description ==
[[File:Icehouse pieces paper and plastic.jpg|Icehouse pieces in paper and plastic|thumb]]
The pieces are four-sided pyramids that can nest and stack with [[pip (counting)|pip]]ping from 1 to 3 at the base.  A group of three pyramids, one of each size, is called a "trio." Each "stash" or set of Icehouse pieces consists of five trios, or fifteen pyramids (variously called pieces, pyramids, or minions) of the same color and five of each three sizes:<ref name=gms/> five large 3-point pyramids (called "queens" in some games), five medium 2-point pyramids (sometimes called "drones"), and five small 1-point pyramids (or "pawns").{{citation needed|date=June 2015}} The stacked and nested feature is not used in the original Icehouse game, but is taken advantage of in some of the other Icehouse-based games listed below.<ref name=gms/>

Icehouse pieces were, for many years, sold as tubes containing one stash of durable crystal-look plastic pieces<ref name=wr/> in one of ten available colors (though cyan was only available through their promotional program or as part of the Ice Towers set).  There was also a less expensive starter set called Origami Icehouse (later called Paper Icehouse), made of cardstock in four colors, which one punched out and folded into the pyramid shapes. In 2006, [[Looney Labs]] began selling Icehouse pieces as ''Treehouse sets'', which are multicolored sets of 15 pyramids: five colors, each color having one each of the three sizes.  Looney Labs has also sold boxed sets for [[Zendo (game)|Zendo]] and [[IceTowers]]; the latter contained cyan pieces.{{citation needed|date=June 2015}} The Icehouse website also has instructions for making your own pieces. Looney Labs has licensed [[Crystal Caste]] to make regulation-sized Icehouse pieces out of semiprecious [[gemstone|stone]].<ref name=wr/> Beginning with its Looney Pyramids relaunch set, IceDice, the sets are packaged in pyramid shaped nylon zipper bag<ref name=icv/> until Pyramid Arcade.

==Releases==

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Set !! pieces || games || released<ref name=wl>{{cite web|title=Out Of Print (OOP) Pyramid Products|url=http://wunderland.com/icehouse/BlackIce/Default.html|website=Wunderland|publisher=Looney Labs|accessdate=June 10, 2015}}</ref>
|-
!colspan=4|

===IceHouse Games===
|-
| Icehouse (The Original Black Box) 
|rowspan=2| standard color stash 
|rowspan=4| Icehouse || {{dts|1989}} 
|-
|rowspan=2| Paper Icehouse ("Origami" Icehouse) 
|rowspan=2| {{dts|1991}} 
|-
|| Neon stash
|-
| Xyloid Icehouse || wood standard color stash || {{dts|1992}} 
|-
!colspan=4|

===Looney Labs stack-able===
|-
| [[Icehouse: The Martian Chess Set|The Martian Chess Set]] (MCS) || 2 standard color stash in plastic box || [[Martian Chess]], [[IceTowers]], IceTraders & Zarcana<ref name=gms/><br/>[[Origins Award]] for ''Best Abstract Board Game of 2000''<ref name=pyd/> || {{dts|1999}} 
|-
| Black Ice expansion || black and clear pyramids and a Martian chessboard bandana in hemp drawstring bag || None, coupon for future rule book (3HOUSE) || {{dts|2000}}
|-
| Giant Cardboard Pyramids || || 
|rowspan=3| {{dts|2001}}
|-
| Icehouse Pieces monochrome stash tubes || one color stash  || {{n/a|none}} 
|-
| ''Playing with Pyramids'' booklet (PwP) || {{n/a|none}} || IceTowers, Thin Ice, Zendo, Martian Backgammon, Volcano, [[Martian Chess]], RAMbots, Pikemen, Zagami, Homeworlds, Gnostica, and the original Icehouse  
|-
| Zendo boxed set  || 2 standard color stashes, 60 glass stones (green, white, black) || [[Zendo (game)|Zendo]] (w/16 starter rule cards) & ICE-7 other games reference cards
|rowspan=2| {{dts|2003}}
|-
| IceTowers boxed set || 2 alternate colors stashes & ''The Empty City'' book || IceTowers & ICE-7 reference cards
|-
| Icehouse Pieces monochrome stash tubes || gray stash  || {{n/a|none}} 
|rowspan=2| {{dts|2006}}
|-
| Volcano Caps || 5 smalls grays || {{n/a|none}} 
|-
!colspan=4|

===Treehouse===
|-
|  Treehouse Rainbow || one rainbow stash, a custom die 
|rowspan=2| [[Treehouse (game)|Treehouse]]
|rowspan=2| {{dts|2006}}<ref name=icv0/>
|-
| Treehouse Xeno || one xeno stash, a custom die 
|-
| ''3HOUSE'' booklet (3H) || {{n/a|none}} || Black Ice, [[Martian Chess]], Binary Homeworlds<ref name=wl0>{{cite web|title=3HOUSE|url=http://wunderland.com/icehouse/3HOUSE/Index.html|website=Wunderland.com|publisher=Looney Labs|accessdate=June 10, 2015}}</ref> || {{dts|2007}}
|-
| Pink Treehouse || 1 pink stash ||  [[Treehouse (game)|Treehouse]] || {{dts|2008}}
|-
!colspan=4|

===Looney Pyramids===
|-
| IceDice  ||  2 rainbow stashes, two custom dice <ref name=wr/> || IceDice, Launchpad 23<ref name=icv/> || {{dts|2011|6}}<ref name=icv/>
|-
|  Treehouse (second edition) || one rainbow stash, a six-sided die and a custom die, a little fabric board<ref name=wr/> || [[Treehouse (game)|Treehouse]], Pharaoh<ref name=wr/> || {{dts|2011|9}}
|-
|  Rainbow Stash box || one rainbow stash<ref name=wr/> || {{n/a|none}} ||
|-
|  Xeno Stash box || one xeno stash<ref name=wr/> || {{n/a|none}} ||
|-
| Pink Hijinks || three pink trios, 3×3 grid and a custom die || Pink Hijinks<ref name=wr/> || {{dts|2012|12}}<ref name=icv0/>
|-
|  ''Pyramid Primer #1'' booklet (PP1) || {{n/a|none}}  || 13 games:<ref name=wr/>  Black ICE, Caldera, Homeworlds, IceDice, Icehouse, IceTowers, Launchpad 23, Martian Chess, Martian Coasters, Pharaoh, Treehouse, World War 5, Zark City<ref>{{cite web |title=Guide to Looney Pyramids |url=http://www.looneylabs.com/guide-looney-pyramids |accessdate=June 20, 2018 |work=looneylabs.com |date=8 February 2011 |publisher=Looney Labs |language=en}}</ref>
| 
|-
|Pyramid Arcade (PA)
|90 pyramids: 10 colors (rainbow & xeno) 3 trio each; 8 mini gameboards & 3 large boards; cards: Zark City (5 suited square deck), Twin Win cards, Pyramid Arcade cards; 9 six-sided dice: 3 standard, 3 lightning, 3 others; a drawstring bag, a turn token
|22 games: Black Ice, Color Wheel, Give or Take, Hijinks, Homeworlds, Ice Dice, Ice Towers, Launchpad 23, Looney Ludo, Lunar Invaders, Martian Chess, Petal Battle, Petri Dish, Pharaoh, Powerhouse, Pyramid-Sham-Bo, Twin Win, Treehouse, Verticality, Volcano, World War 5, Zark City<ref name="gdad"/>
| {{dts|2016|11|3}}
|-
| ''Nomids'' (PQ){{efn|name=pq|Pyramid Quartet}}
| a trio each of all ten colors<ref name="pq">{{cite web|title=PYRAMID QUARTET: a new series of small pyramid game sets|website=[[Kickstarter]]|url=https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/looneylabs/pyramid-quartet|accessdate=2020-06-03}}</ref>
| Nomids<ref name="ttgn"/>
|
|-
|  ''Ice Duo'' (PQ){{efn|name=pq}}
| 2 trios each of red, yellow, cyan, purple, and green, and two custom dice<ref name="pq"/>
| Ice Dice, Twin Win<ref name="ttgn"/>
|
|-
| ''Martian Chess'' (PQ){{efn|name=pq}}
| 6 trios of chrome silver<ref name="pq"/>
| Martian Chess<ref name="ttgn"/>
|
|-
| ''Homeworlds'' (PQ){{efn|name=pq}}
| 3 trios each of the standard colors<ref name="pq"/>
| Homeworlds<ref name="ttgn"/>
|}

*standard colors: red, blue, green, yellow
*Neon colors: purple, orange, lime green, and hot pink
*alternate colors: [[cyan]], clear, white, purple
*original monochrome stash tubes colors: red, yellow, blue, green, purple, orange, black, white, clear
*rainbow colors: red, dark blue, green, yellow, opaque black<ref name=wr/> (standard plus black)
*xeno colors: orange, purple, cyan, clear, white<ref name=wr/>
{{notelist}}

==Games==
[[File:Zendo game.jpg|thumb|Icehouse pieces being used to play ''Zendo'']]
As a game system, Icehouse pieces can be used to play many different abstract [[strategy game]]s.<ref name="gms" /> Most games need at least two colors, and some require other readily available equipment such as glass stones or a [[checkerboard]].

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Game !! Year !! Publication !! Designer(s) !! description/note
|-
| ''Icehouse'' || {{dts|1989}} || PwP, PP1 || Andrew Looney and John Cooper || 
|-
| ''[[Martian Chess]]'' || {{dts|1995}} || MCS, PwP, 3H, PP1, PA, PQ || Andrew Looney<ref name=pyd/>|| 
|-
|''Zarcana''<ref name=gms/>   || 1996 || MCS  || John Cooper || an early form of Gnostica
|-
|''Pikemen''   || rowspan=2|1997|| rowspan=2|PwP || rowspan=2|Jacob Davenport || 
|-
|''Thin Ice''   || 
|-
|''[[IceTowers]]''   || rowspan=2|1999 || MCS, PwP, PP1, PA  || Andrew Looney || a stacking game<ref name=gms/>
|-
| ''IceTraders''   || MCS  || John Cooper || an early version of Homeworlds
|-
|''Volcano''   || rowspan=2|2000 ||PwP, PA || Kristin Looney ||
|-
|''Zagami''   || PwP ||  Kory Heath  || 
|-
|''Gnostica''   || rowspan=5|2001 || PwP<ref name=wl/>  || John Cooper, Kory Heath, Kristin Matherly, Jacob Davenport || 
|-
| ''Homeworlds''  || PwP, PP1, PA, PQ  || John Cooper || a [[4X]] conquest and abstract space battle/exploration game<ref name=wr/>
|-
|''Martian Backgammon''   || rowspan=3|PwP || Kristin Looney || 
|-
|''RAMbots''   || rowspan=2|Kory Heath || 
|-
| ''[[Zendo (game)|Zendo]]''  || Origins Award: ''Best Abstract Board Game of 2003''<ref name=icv1/>
|-
| ''Binary Homeworlds''   || 2004 || 3H  ||  John Cooper<ref name=wl0/> || variant of Homeworlds
|-
|''Martian Coasters'' (later ''Looney Ludo'')    || rowspan=2|2006 || PP1, PA || rowspan="7" | Andrew Looney ||  
|-
|''[[Treehouse (game)|Treehouse]]''   || Treehouse, PP1, PA ||  a [[matching game]]; Origins Award for ''Best Board Game of 2006''<ref name=icv2/>
|-
|''Black ICE''   || rowspan="2" | 2007 || 3H, PP1, PA<ref name=wl0/>  || 
|-
|''Twin Win'' 
|PA, PQ|| First published on Andrew Looney's website<ref>{{Cite web |last=Looney |first=Andrew |date=6 September 2007 |title=Twin Win A new game to play with a Treehouse set |url=https://archive.wunderland.com/WTS/Andy/Games/TwinWin/index.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220521145613/https://archive.wunderland.com/WTS/Andy/Games/TwinWin/index.html |archive-date=21 May 2022 |website=Wunderland}}</ref>
|-
|''World War 5''    || rowspan=2|2008 || rowspan=2|PP1, PA || 
|-
|''Zark City''    || Inspired by Zarcana and Gnostica
|-
|''Pharaoh''<ref name=wr/>   || 2010 || PP1, Treehouse 2nd Edition, PA || 
|-
|''Caldera''   || rowspan=3|2011 || PP1 || Kristin Looney  || variant of Volcano
|-
|''IceDice''   || PP1, IceDice, PA, PQ || rowspan="12" | Andrew Looney || 
|-
|''Launchpad 23''  ||PP1, IceDice, PA ||  collecting game<ref name=icv/>
|-
|''Pink Hijinks'' (later ''Hijinks'')  || {{dts|2012|12}} || Pink Hijinks, PA ||  "king of the hill" strategy<ref name=icv0/>
|-
|''Color Wheel''
| rowspan="8" | {{dts|2016|11|3}} 
|rowspan=8| PA 
|| 
|-
|''Give or Take''  ||
|-
|''Lunar Invaders''  || variant of Cosmic Coasters
|-
|''Petal Battle''  || 
|-
|''Petri Dish''  || 
|-
|''Powerhouse''  || 
|-
|''Pyramid-Sham-Bo''  || 
|-
| ''Verticality''  || 
|-
| ''Nomids'' || 2020  ||  PQ ||
|}

== References ==
{{Reflist|30em}}

== External links ==

* [https://www.looneylabs.com/looney-pyramids Official website]
* [https://www.icehousegames.org/wiki/index.php?title=Main_Page Fan-run community website and comprehensive game listings]
*Board Game Geek pages
** [http://www.boardgamegeek.com/wiki/page/Icehouse_pieces# Icehouse pieces] 
** [http://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgamefamily/20/looney-pyramids Looney Pyramids] - Board game family page
* [http://www.looneylabs.com/guide-looney-pyramids Rules for 13 games]
* [https://boardgamearena.com/gamepanel?game=homeworlds Homeworlds playable on Board Game Arena]

{{Tabletop games by type}}

[[Category:Icehouse games| ]]
[[Category:Origins Award winners]]
[[Category:Board game pieces]]