And now for something totally different! Eco Kids, the toy shop in Lonehilll, has imported a range of unusual board games for older children, based on myth and legend. Eco Kids owner, Silke Ceruti (previously a judge in the Toy of the Year Awards) has provided a review of the following interesting games which retail from R279.00 upwards:
• Carcassone
• Maharaja
• Ticket to Ride
• Lost Cities
• Lord of the Rings

Carcassonne (R279.00)
“Kar-ka-son” has to be the simplest, most amazing game ever! It can be played by EVERYONE, from little kids to grandma. Take turns in drawing tiles randomly from the box and lay them out domino-fashion to build a random landscape in the French town of “Carcassonne”. As you place the tiles, deploy your pieces strategically to gain the most points as the landscape develops. This is an incredibly easy game to learn … yet very deep in strategy and tactics. The more you play the more you see how much there is to this super game. See attached picture.

Maharaja (R410.00)
The Maharaja has called and you, a distinguished Indian prince, are obeying his call! Build magnificent houses and palaces in his name! Maharaja is a clever strategic board game for two to five players. During the game the players take different roles and travel from city to city in India. Their architects build palaces and houses for the Maharaja. Of course, building a palace is expensive. Therefore it is important to earn enough money in the cities. The first player to build seven palaces is the winner. Besides the basic game the rules booklet contains two advanced versions for players who seek even more depth.

Ticket to Ride (R430.00)
October 2, 1900 – 28 years to the day that noted London eccentric, Phineas Fogg, accepted and then won a £20,000 bet that he could travel “Around the World in 80 Days”. Now at the dawn of the century it is time for a new “impossible journey”. Some old friends have gathered to celebrate Fogg’s impetuous and lucrative gamble – and to propose a new wager of their own. The stakes: $1 Million in a winner-takes-all competition. The objective: to see which of them can travel by rail to the most cities in North America – in just 7 days. The journey begins immediately……Ticket to Ride is a cross-country train adventure where players collect cards of various types of train cars that enable them to claim railway routes connecting cities throughout North America.

Lost Cities (R269.00)
For the daring and adventurous, there are many lost cities to explore. They are in the Himalayas, the ever-shifting sands of the desert, the Brazilian rain forest, ancient volcanoes in Neptune’s Realm. With limited resources the players must choose which expedition to begin. Those with high confidence may want to up the stakes, increasing the rewards for success, but risking more should the expedition fail. The player who finds the right balance will find victory!

Lord of the Rings (R410.00)
This is a brilliant two-player game that pits good against evil, bringing all the characters from the trilogy to life. Take on the role of the huge and powerful dark forces to try and catch Frodo or invade the shire. Use their sheer strength and flying abilities to scavenge the lands looking for the little Hobbit. Or lead the forces of light, who rely on their cunning and special abilities, to work together and help Frodo get to Mount Doom to destroy the Ring. This game has many wonderful elements from Lord of the Rings in it, and the game-play is quick but intense. Feel the tension as you guide the band of heroes through the treacherous mountain regions and make touch decision as the situations get more and more helpless the closer they get to the mountain. Are YOU the Chosen One?

You can find Eco Kids at the Leaping Frog Centre in Fourways. Telephone: 011 465 1530.

This entry was posted on Thursday, February 1st, 2007 at 9:29 pm and is filed under General, Noise & Clutter, Toy Talk. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.