LOTR Board games (and other cool Tolkien stuff)

Seeking knowledge in, of, and about Middle-earth.
User avatar
Alatar
of Vinyamar
Posts: 10585
Joined: Thu Dec 01, 2005 11:39 pm
Location: Ireland
Contact:

Post by Alatar »

New Hobbit game by Reiner Knizia:

Image

http://www.boardgamegeek.com/thread/579 ... bit-review
Designer: Reiner Knizia
Publisher: Sophisticated Games
Players: 2-5

Mention a Tolkien themed game, I sit up and take notice. Mention a new Knizia boardgame, and my wallet begins to twitch. Combine the two together, and a new game materializes instantly into the collection. The Hobbit, by Reiner Knizia, is sitting on the shelves and has seen a fair bit of play in the past three weeks. Let's chat about it.

The Hobbit is a boardgame based on the Tolkien novel of the same name. Bilbo Baggins is recruited by Gandalf the Wizard, Thorin Oakenshield, and twelve other dwarves. He accompanies them as their burglar on an expedition to the Lonely Mountain, and has many adventures along the way. In the game, the players are dwarves on the expedition, tagging along behind Bilbo. The dwarves are trying to obtain gems by having adventures during the journey. The themes of character growth, adventure and reward that were present in the novel can also be found in the game.


Opening the box.

The game is packaged in an 11 inch square box. It is handsomely illustrated by John Howe, featuring Bilbo stealing the gold cup from Smaug. The components are good to very good. An attractive three-fold game board features a lovely panorama showing Middle Earth from the Ettenmoors, across the Misty Mountains and Mirkood, and out to the Lonely Mountain. A 70 space movement track spans the game board, beginning at Bag End and ending at Smaug's cave.

The spaces on the game board feature different icons, representing character traits you can gain (or lose) by landing on them - green plants (initiative), foxes (cunning) and fists (strength). There are also spaces where you gain provisions, which are probably some sort of Beorn honey cake, but have been quickly dubbed "toast" in our sessions. Three spaces feature the One Ring icon, where you lose a point of a trait, but gain the hot potato. The spaces are broken up regularly by larger spaces, called Adventure locations. Adventure locations depict major events from the novel - battling the goblins, fighting off the wolves, escaping the elves, and confronting Smaug.

The game also features miniatures of Bilbo and Smaug. Bilbo begins on the game board at Bag End, and is the game clock. He advances down the path towards the adventure spaces. Smaug begins at the Lonely Mountain, and advances up the path towards Laketown.
Image
Image
The Vinyamars on Stage! This time at Bag End
User avatar
Elentári
Posts: 5199
Joined: Fri Jan 23, 2009 6:03 pm
Location: Green Hill Country

Post by Elentári »

Sorry, missed Al's post somehow as I went through the Golfimbul link!

Anyway...December release for US (MRP $35.00) checked Amazon and it's not due out in UK (pre-order for £19.88 ) until February - Bah! :rage:
There is magic in long-distance friendships. They let you relate to other human beings in a way that goes beyond being physically together and is often more profound.
~Diana Cortes
User avatar
Alatar
of Vinyamar
Posts: 10585
Joined: Thu Dec 01, 2005 11:39 pm
Location: Ireland
Contact:

Post by Alatar »

Image
The Vinyamars on Stage! This time at Bag End
User avatar
Elentári
Posts: 5199
Joined: Fri Jan 23, 2009 6:03 pm
Location: Green Hill Country

Post by Elentári »

Ah...now do I pay £26.99 plus postage to get it before Christmas, or wait till Feb and get it for £19.88 and free postage...hmmm Image
There is magic in long-distance friendships. They let you relate to other human beings in a way that goes beyond being physically together and is often more profound.
~Diana Cortes
User avatar
Alatar
of Vinyamar
Posts: 10585
Joined: Thu Dec 01, 2005 11:39 pm
Location: Ireland
Contact:

Post by Alatar »

No choice for me I'm afraid. Amazon don't ship "Toys and Games" to Ireland for some reason. Shipping will also be expensive, so I'll end up paying closer to €50 for this. :(
Image
The Vinyamars on Stage! This time at Bag End
User avatar
Elentári
Posts: 5199
Joined: Fri Jan 23, 2009 6:03 pm
Location: Green Hill Country

Post by Elentári »

That's too bad! I've opted to wait until Feb since money is still tight for us...

It will be something to look forward to during those cold, dark evenings before Spring is sprung!
There is magic in long-distance friendships. They let you relate to other human beings in a way that goes beyond being physically together and is often more profound.
~Diana Cortes
Aravar
Posts: 476
Joined: Thu Aug 10, 2006 2:15 pm

Post by Aravar »

Elentári wrote:Sorry, missed Al's post somehow as I went through the Golfimbul link!

Anyway...December release for US (MRP $35.00) checked Amazon and it's not due out in UK (pre-order for £19.88 ) until February - Bah! :rage:
I've got mine in Forbidden Planet a few weeks ago. Leisure Games in London (www.leisuregames.com) also have it on their site at £29.99.
User avatar
Elentári
Posts: 5199
Joined: Fri Jan 23, 2009 6:03 pm
Location: Green Hill Country

Post by Elentári »

WIZKIDS TAKES OVER MIDDLE EARTH WITH NEW "THE LORD OF THE RINGS" GAME RELEASES
Wizkids announced today the addition of "The Lord of the Rings" property to their 2011 HeroClix release schedule through a licensing agreement with Warner Bros. Consumer Products. The first products of the new "The Lord of the Rings" line will be a HeroClix miniatures game followed by a HeroClix strategic board game, both of which will release in the back half of 2011.
Image
There is magic in long-distance friendships. They let you relate to other human beings in a way that goes beyond being physically together and is often more profound.
~Diana Cortes
User avatar
Alatar
of Vinyamar
Posts: 10585
Joined: Thu Dec 01, 2005 11:39 pm
Location: Ireland
Contact:

Post by Alatar »

Thanks for that Elen!

Incidentally, I found an Amazon link for the Hobbit game that will ship free to Ireland, so I'm on pre-order as well.
Image
The Vinyamars on Stage! This time at Bag End
User avatar
Elentári
Posts: 5199
Joined: Fri Jan 23, 2009 6:03 pm
Location: Green Hill Country

Post by Elentári »

Great! What date are they quoting you, btw?

The original date they gave me was Feb 15th then I had an email bringing estimated delivery forward to end of Jan, and recently a further revised estimate putting it back to around March 10th (my birthday!!)

It's a right pain considering I've seen the game in the shops, but I was hoping to save £10 via Amazon!
There is magic in long-distance friendships. They let you relate to other human beings in a way that goes beyond being physically together and is often more profound.
~Diana Cortes
User avatar
Alatar
of Vinyamar
Posts: 10585
Joined: Thu Dec 01, 2005 11:39 pm
Location: Ireland
Contact:

Post by Alatar »

I think they're quoting me March also. I'm hoping it comes end of February as my birthday is March 1st.
Image
The Vinyamars on Stage! This time at Bag End
User avatar
Elentári
Posts: 5199
Joined: Fri Jan 23, 2009 6:03 pm
Location: Green Hill Country

Post by Elentári »

Oh, of course...how could I forget, with it being such a significant M-e date??!?!

Hopefully one of us should get a birthday present, anyway! ;)
There is magic in long-distance friendships. They let you relate to other human beings in a way that goes beyond being physically together and is often more profound.
~Diana Cortes
User avatar
Elentári
Posts: 5199
Joined: Fri Jan 23, 2009 6:03 pm
Location: Green Hill Country

Post by Elentári »

Hey Al!

Just heard from Amazon that my HOBBIT boardgame is in the mail - should arrive early next week! :banana:
There is magic in long-distance friendships. They let you relate to other human beings in a way that goes beyond being physically together and is often more profound.
~Diana Cortes
User avatar
Alatar
of Vinyamar
Posts: 10585
Joined: Thu Dec 01, 2005 11:39 pm
Location: Ireland
Contact:

Post by Alatar »

Ooh, I wonder if mine is too?
Image
The Vinyamars on Stage! This time at Bag End
User avatar
Alatar
of Vinyamar
Posts: 10585
Joined: Thu Dec 01, 2005 11:39 pm
Location: Ireland
Contact:

Post by Alatar »

Mine arrived, but is being put away for my Birthday! Did you get yours Elen?
Image
The Vinyamars on Stage! This time at Bag End
User avatar
Elentári
Posts: 5199
Joined: Fri Jan 23, 2009 6:03 pm
Location: Green Hill Country

Post by Elentári »

Oh, yes - 2 weeks ago!! We played it straight away and kids loved it. Couldn't wait for their youngest brother to come home for half-term to play as well.

Good fun, with a team element as well as an individual winner at the end. :thumbsup:
There is magic in long-distance friendships. They let you relate to other human beings in a way that goes beyond being physically together and is often more profound.
~Diana Cortes
Aravar
Posts: 476
Joined: Thu Aug 10, 2006 2:15 pm

Post by Aravar »

I've had a solo run through and it looks like a well put together game. I think I prefer it to Knizia's LOTR game.
User avatar
Alatar
of Vinyamar
Posts: 10585
Joined: Thu Dec 01, 2005 11:39 pm
Location: Ireland
Contact:

Post by Alatar »

I'm hoping it will be easy enough for my kids to grasp but compelling enough to interest Clare and I. Ideally, Aoife should be able to play without being able to read properly. I believe there's no real requirement to be able to read the text on cards?
Image
The Vinyamars on Stage! This time at Bag End
Aravar
Posts: 476
Joined: Thu Aug 10, 2006 2:15 pm

Post by Aravar »

You do collect items/abilites as you go for use later, and so to an extent you need to be able to read the cards, but I should think that provided someone can read it and remember who has the ability card it shoudln' be too much of a problem.

There's two stages really. Frist you move and bid to collect abilities by playing cards from your hand, which are just numbered. You move up the track and depending on which space you land on you get adavnces to your stats. Thene, after a while you come to an encounter part where you have to try and defeat various encounters. If encounter is failed Smaug moves closer to Laketown. If the encounter succeeds treasure is collected.
Aravar
Posts: 476
Joined: Thu Aug 10, 2006 2:15 pm

Post by Aravar »

Fantasy Flight have brought out a customisable card game based on LOTR. It's about £30 for the core set, but I wonder if its aimed at the Magic The Gathering market, in which case it could turn out to cost more.
Post Reply