From the air, Moore was fascinated by the way the cathedral and neighbouring buildings intricately fit together, like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle.

[2] In 1979 Moore presented a prototype version to Brightway Products, a New Zealand wooden toy and game company.

[1] A plastic moulded version with very highly detailed parts and a gridded locking system was published by Mattel in 1985.

[citation needed] Cathedral is played on a wooden board divided into a 10x10 grid and enclosed by turreted walls, representing a medieval city.

[2] The player using the light pieces begins by placing the Cathedral anywhere within the play area, aligned with the squares.

"[4] In a brief review for Issue #3, Abstract Strategy compared the game to Pentominoes and Go, praising its medieval city theme and "the attractiveness of its playing equipment.