Risk
About 50 years ago, an award winning French film maker Albert Lamorisse created a revolutionary game he called: La Conquete du Monde - loosely translated. "Conquest of the World." Two years later, in 1959, Parker Brothers published the game we all came to know and love as RISK.
RISK was absolutely unique because it introduced groundbreaking game concepts. It was the first board game to offer non-linear movement - that was crazy thinking back then. Although the rules were simple enough, the strategies required to win the game were not. RISK pushed the envelope and remained unmatched by any other game on the shelf; quickly becoming a phenomenon with millions of copies sold throughout the world.
Since that time, nearly a dozen different variations of RISK have mapped out epic battles in the Star Wars universe, Middle-earth, Narnia, the moon, and various periods in world history. In the game of RISK there are no perfect moves. There are no guarantees. Because everything is at risk!
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- Themes
War - Mechanics
Area/Territory Control, Dice Rolling, Set Collection - Gamer Types
Avid Gamer, Casual Gamer, Family Gamer, Power Gamer, Social Gamer, Strategy Gamer - Designers
Albert Lamorisse - Official Game Site
🔍 Risk - Price (MSRP)
$25.99
Almost everyone who plays board games has played Risk. Almost everyone who played Risk with any regularity has a good grasp on some basic strategies to employ, what continents are easiest to hold, how quickly to push the front. The most recent release of Risk has some subtle new tricks that make it feel new again.
For the most part it is the same game it always has been, and it can be played that way with up to 5 players. The components are updated a bit, but it is still a mass market game. It isn’t going to wow you with finely detailed and painted minis, or even wooden pieces. Some might even complain about the new arrows that are used to represent armies, but it brings a war room feel to the game.
The subtle changes are where things get interesting. For one, each player gets a capitol. The capitol is good for an army every turn as long as the player controls the territory where the capitol resides. The capitol can be in a different position each game, so that can alter the strategic value of territories substantially. Another change is the addition of cities. Essentially cities double the value of the territory where they reside. New armies every turn is determined as usual by adding up your territories and adding one per three territories, but you also add cities into the tally. Placement changes from one game to the next, like the capitols, and it also can have a significant impact on strategy.
Another change comes with the objective system that determines the games winner. Each game the winner will be the first to claim a number of major and minor objectives. The objectives are all in plain view of everyone, and everyone is gunning for those objectives. The objectives also carry with them rewards. Claiming an objective might also give you an extra defense or attack die. This objective and reward system, along with the cities and capitols, makes previously foolish decisions become wise and sometimes prudent. The objective system cuts game time down dramatically, either through early victory or a seriously weakened player after a failed attempt at an objective. The reward system makes going out on a limb much more profitable by giving the victor an advantage in future battles even if claiming the reward left he player spread a little thin.
It’s still Risk. It’s still a game about strategy and knowing when to stop attacking. It just has a few tricks up its sleeve that make it more interesting.
GAME EXPLANATION
If you haven’t played risk it is a war simulation board game. The original setting of the game was late 19th century so the game pieces were infantry men, cavalry and artillery.
The game itself starts fairly randomly, with different sections of the world map being given to players who place infantry men on them. When the game starts players attack one another, the results being determined by a roll of the dice, in the attempt to take over more territory.
Players advance and grow their armies by taking over continents, trading in cards, and building forces. The game is over when total global domination is achieved, or when one player gets frustrated and flips the board over…
BEST PART
It is a lot of fun to break through a bottleneck and just ravage your opponents territory. These “pushes” often can break an opponents grasp on a continent and can alter strategy and the games outcome.
WORST PART
I feel that this game can be unbalanced with a lot of players. Even with five players it often comes down to 2 or 3 players taking over the majority of territory and continents. While this isn’t really that bad a lot of luck goes into the initial set up.
BEST STRATEGY
I think that everyone that gets two territories in Oceania (Australia) always gets excited because it is the simplest continent to take over and hold, providing an early boost to troop levels. Other than that taking and holding a continent early while trying to stop opponents from completing a continent is the basic early strategy.
WORST STRATEGY
Don’t feel like just because you have greater numbers that means you will win out over your opponents. The defender always has a slight advantage in that they will win ties on the roll of the dice. This means that if a defender can roll 6’s continuously no number of attackers will be able to win.
OVERALL REVIEW
This game is a lot of fun with people that have played it often, but can be very lopsided when trying to introduce new players, as initial strategy will count for a lot of the endgame. That being said it can be a lot of fun and I think it is a great gateway game for similar games that expand on these ideas, games like Samurai Swords and Twilight Imperium which add politics and resource management.
FINAL SCORE
8 out of 10
I have to say, it is really hard to review classics such as Risk. Mainly because Risk is more than 50 years old, so I imagine that, by the time this game was released, board gamers weren’t so demanding as they are today. So have that in mind when reading this review!
CONCEPT AND BASIC MECHANICS
Every round you are supposed to receive a number o armies proportional to the number of countries you control and place them accordingly to your objectives or tactics. And for me that’s the best part of the game… the deep thinking, the decision-making – “Am I going to invade Africa? Or should I protect Europe?”. And after you place those armies, everyone around say “Uuuuuu, someone’s about to be kicked!”.
And that’s it. That’s where fun starts and ends in Risk. At least for me, of course.
After that, the battle phase starts and, honestly, the battle mechanics are really bad implemented. I feel like the creator of this game was either lazy or trying his best to make the game as simple as it could be. Or maybe that was the concept of fun in board games back in the 50’s… I mean, I don’t know. I’m only sure that rolling up to three dices and expecting your opponent to roll lower numbers just kills all the “strategy and tactics” we were talking about last paragraph. In the end, Risk is all about gamble. And when you limit your probabilities to 3 dices, you make so that an army of 6 can defend a country quite well against a army of 60. Or not. Who knows. As I said, it doesn’t matter if you are the one with 6 or 60 armies, it’s all about luck.
CONCLUSION
With that said, I should let you know that this is actually a pretty interesting game. It’s not a classical by coincidence. The concept of you taking over the world by destroying your friends’ army is capable to arouse anyone who’s fond of a little strategy. However, the core mechanic of Risk, which is the battle phase, makes this one of the most frustrating games I’ve ever played. Sad, but true.
A lot of people have this game nowadays, so I would recommend playing with someone that has it instead of expending money with a copy for yourself. You will get bored after a couple of games.
In fact, Risk:Legacy is a modern version of this game that is much superior to the original. So you should try that instead.
PROS
Good for beginners
Easy to learn
Good theme
Helps kids learning geography
CONS
Boring for experienced gamers
Doesn’t have a balance between decisions and randomness
Has a great potential to frustrate you
Every gamer I know has an opinion about Risk. Some of them love it for the nostalgia it inspires, or for how it fills their need for simple world domination. Others hate it for its unmercifully random die rolls, or for the endless tedium that reminds them of Monopoly. Whichever boat you fall into, you just can’t forget your first time playing Risk.
At its core, Risk is a simple game. You try to conquer the world by destroying your friends. Risk is the archetype for any of these games, and as such, has some of the simplest methods. You don’t have different kinds of troops. You can’t gain a significant advantage except for having more troops than your neighbor. There are no secrets that will change the fundamental nature of the game.
More than most games, Risk can call itself a pure information game. The pieces are all out in the open and everyone can create similar strategies. In fact, it’s the parts of the game that are random that make people furious.
The dice: You get one die for each troop you have in the conflict. Defender can have a max of two, while attackers get three. However, defenders win ties. This leads to the “divinely protected” scenario, where a single defender keeps rolling 6’s, wrecking your amazing strategy by pure, dumb luck.
The cards: The cards represent military escalation, but you had to get matching sets of three. Sometimes, you would match on your third card. Sometimes, the fourth. In rare cases, you actually needed five. Again, through dumb luck, your escalation is held back through no fault of your own.
Risk is a game that needs to be played, but it certainly has its flaws. Because it is such a pure game, there are many variants out there to make things a little better during play. If you have never played this game before, you NEED to, if only to understand gamers a little better. Just remember that you can take out your anger at the game on your friends as you march towards total world domination. GOOD LUCK.
Although not without its flaws, Risk is a solid take-over-the-world strategy game that is widely available and not too difficult to play.
So how do I take over the world?
The Risk board is a map of the world which is divided up into continents, and each continent is divided up into regions (commonly a country or small group of countries). Each player has an army. At the beginning of the game players take it in turns to claim regions by putting a member of their army into it. Once all the regions are occupied the players can then add to their armies in each region.
And then we fight, right?
Each turn is divided up into three “phases”, a reinforcement phase, an attacking phase and a redeployment phase. During the reinforcement phase you will get to add to your army size by a certain amount. This is based on the number of regions you occupy, but you also get a bonus if you control all the regions in a continent or if you have an appropriate combination of ca. You can increase the size of your army in any regions you choose.
Fine, do we get to fight now?
Yes, now it’s time to fight. You can attack from any of your regions into any enemy region adjacent to it. You can attack with up to 3 members of your army, but you must make sure you leave at least one member behind in the territory you are attacking from. The player defending their territory can choose to defend with up to two of their army members.
So how do we decide who wins? Arm wrestle or something?
You could I suppose, but it’s better to use the dice. Each player rolls one die for each member of their army are in the fight. The highest die from each player is then compared. If the attackers die is higher than the defenders die, then one member of the defending army is removed. If not, the attacker loses a member of their army. If there are two defenders then the process is repeated with the two second-highest dice. If the defending army is completely removed from the region the attacker moves the members of their army into the region and claim it as theirs.
Yeah, take that!
Quite. To end the turn you can move your army around from one region to any other region that is connected through regions the player controls. Finally, if the player gained control of a new region, they get a card which they can put towards making a set to use in a later reinforcement stage. Keep taking turns until someone controls the whole board!
So are there any drawbacks to this game?
There are two drawbacks to this game. The first is it can become apparent quite early in the game who is going to win, at which point the game becomes less fun as one player gradually takes over the board. Even worse is that when playing in a group some members can be out of the game a long time before it is finished, leaving them with nothing to do but watch. However, the game can produce some surprises and close games can be good fun, particularly after an unlikely dice roll or a sudden reinforcement card set!
So there’s pros and cons?
Exactly.
I think I’ll take the Risk…
I see what you did there.
This is one of the first games that I played that was different because I wasn’t trying to move pawns around a circle or follow some colored path. This game allows choices and lots of them. Yes the game is won and lost on dice rolls but the choices you make can totally help the outcome.
You get to choose which countries you start in (or if you deal out the cards for a quicker game) which countries to reinforce. You decide where to attack and when the right time to hand in those valuable sets for extra armies. Where to use your one troop move. You can even decide when to make alliances (you know you do it)and when to stab a brother in the back. That’s where the strategy comes in.
The enjoyment of the game I think depends on the group you are playing with. Do they understand the level of commitment? Are they competitive enough that if they are eliminated early they would want to jump back in the next time you break it out? I have played with a few different groups, ones that can’t get enough no matter who wins and ones it is like pulling teeth to get more than one play.
Regardless it’s a great game, with lots of options, many “house rules” and with the right group lots of replayability. I would suggest having a couple of filler games that people can play while they wait for the world conqueror to emerge. In my opinion the biggest drawback of Risk, that a game that can easily to more than 2 hours could have someone waiting around after 30 min.
Overview
Risk – the classic boardgame that everyone’s played, everyone has good memories of, and everyone hates. In this game where luck of the dice plays such a huge “roll” (hah!), you control an army that is trying to dominate the whole world. As you take over more territory you will receive larger reserves – on the other hand, if you lose all your armies you’re out!
Setup
Each player chooses a color and then takes turning placing army pieces on different countries. Once all the countries have been occupied by a single player’s piece, the players take turn reinforcing their countries with a set number of pieces at their disposal. After this setup is finished, the game begins.
Gameplay
Game play is simple (probably too simple): on a turn, a player reinforces with reserve army pieces, then attacks other players if he wishes. Attacks consist of declaring one country is trying to invade another, and then rolling dice to see how many attacking and defending armies dies. If the attacker destroys all of the defender, he may move into the defeated country.
This continues until the player decideds not to attack or has no more armies to attack with. If the player succeeds in defeating a country in a turn, he gets a card which he can use for more reserve armies in later turns.
Conclusion
Original in its time, the game is very dated by today’s standards and will leave many players frustrated and angry at dice rolls. The game can drag on for hours or be over in a flash as a player gets a huge reserve and a string of lucky rolls.
Gameplay: 2/5 – This game is old so the mechanics and general gameplay are dated and frustrating
Fun: 2/5 – Somewhat fun at first, but after you realize how badly you can be killed with unlucky rolls the game becomes less fun
Replayability: 2/5 – I can’t imagine most people would want to play this more than 2 or 3 times given the much better alternatives available
Learning Curve: 4/5 – Very easy to learn, none of the rules are complex
Tilt: 2/5 – Only getting 2 points because the game holds some nostalgia for me
Total: 2.4/5
Risk is another one of those classic games that many people remember fondly from their childhood. I can vividly recall multiple games with my brothers that involved nearly miraculous comebacks and amazing holdouts against overwhelming foes. I can also recall that we probably only finished about half the games we started because many just kept going on and on and on.
Risk always seems to start as a great idea. Multiple opponents square off in a high stakes contest of global domination, which sounds like great fun, but it ultimately seems to devolve into round after round of dice rolling without a lot of strategy. There are particular spots you want, and anyone with those has a decided advantage, so it frequently can come down to the luck of the draw with starting countries.
Having said that, it is very easy to get lured into the game because it just looks like it should be really enjoyable. There are multiple licensed versions that offer more appealing game pieces and some rule modifications, but again, the game usually ends up being the same old Risk with cooler pieces.
I do recommend that gamers should own a copy of this game (the five or six that don’t already own one) mainly because of its status as a classic, but that doesn’t mean you should play it regularly. It is probably worth owning, even if only for the nostalgia that it elicits in most of us.
Here it is! The one that started my obsession with board games. I always had it in me, I know but this was taken out at exactly the right time, the moment was perfect and one game was played and I was hooked. We had been playing Monopoly as a pastime on holidays for a little while and I had been suggesting we try something else. Something easy and accessible yet looked complicated and interesting. After a night of intense rows and alliances we were all hooked and I grew my little board game league from this.
It’s one of those classic games, (the first one I played was not the version on this site but a five player only version that is in shops right now,2015. The great thing about this game is that you can have planned and planned and everything seems perfect, airtight until you fight and then the dice is either on your side or hates you. and the toll for bad rolls can be horrific. Lots of people hate that about this game but I enjoy it, there is nothing like seeing a big army at your door and they roll badly and lose most of their men to your tiny little army. Friends will be made and lost but everyone will enjoy it.
I have since bought many other versions of this game (Godstorm, walking dead etc.) and I hope to review them whenever they appear on this site as I prefer these to this original but this is still very enjoyable.
Replay Value: You will want to play again but not the same night. If you have played for total domination the game could conceivably last 6+ hours. So take it out for the long nights. I do find the newer versions better but occasionally we take this one out for a scrap.
Components: Nice little plastic men, horses and cannons, better than the arrows on the version above. and the map is a map of the world, so nothing bad to say here.
Easy to learn: Simple and very straightforward, the manual does a good job of explaining and new palyers will be fighting within the first round.
This game is marmite, you love it or hate it, I love it!
I’ll always fondly remember a game of Risk that I played with my mom back when I was a tween. It will be both the fond memory and the horror story of Risk. There was this game of Risk that we had started one stormy Saturday afternoon. It was just a 2 player game. I was so excited as I didn’t get my parents to play a lot of board games back then. We played for probably 3 or more hours that day. By the end of the day, I controlled nearly the entire world and she controlled Africa. It was an epic adventure. Every time I attacked Africa and take a couple of territories, she would strike back and forestall the end of the game. We moved the game board from the dining room table to a desk to finish the game later. We then played a few turns a day, for days, and days, and days, and days, and… well you get the point. If this had been some epic detailed wargaming masterpiece in which we were replaying the war in the Eastern theatre (there is a game of that and I can’t remember the name), this long playing time would have been exciting and even educating. Instead, it became the most tedious board gaming experience. I still remember it fondly, but this is what risk is. And that is not the game I want to play.
The gist of the game:
Each player is a different colored army. Yadda, yadda, yadda. You try to take over the world. Yadda, yadda, yadda. Is there anyone out there that actually doesn’t know Risk?
Replay Value:
This game has replay value. That is true if you have not explored the world of gaming out there and go mainstream. There are so many better games, but it is just like music, you have to dig to find the real gems. Sure, you can listen to Pearl Jam or Tupac, or you can dig for Saul Williams or VNV Nation. Seriously.
Components:
The components are few in variety but large in number. I have never complained about the pieces in these games. In fact, in my life I have had several editions of Risk. I usually cannibalize the pieces for my own games or to use as counters for other purposes.
Easy to Learn:
The rules to risk are very easy to learn. This is truly a game for all ages.
3-5 players Okay, so I understand what they are trying to do with a new edition of Risk here: To try to get rid of some of the things I am complaining about. Honestly though, if I went to the store and bought this edition and it was not the classic game as I remember it (2-6 players), I would be ******. 12+ age Who are they kidding? This is an all ages game. Okay maybe the age limit is the players have to be old enough not to just want to stick their armies in their mouth. 120+ minutes The + sign here is no joke. Although the new editions objectives might change that a bit, the + sign is still no joke.
Conclusion:
I am bored to tears with Risk. The themed variants of Risk breathe some life into it, but the original is just outdated. There are a hundred games that fulfill the niche of Risk and do it better. If someone asked me to play a game of Risk, I would offer alternatives first, and if they did not accept them, I would still sit down to play.
I have always loved the original Risk, even though it has a well-deserved reputation for dragging on for hours. As soon as I heard about the new, short version of the game, I re-introduced it to my friends.
The quick rules basically eliminate the country-selection process at the beginning of the game. You choose a setup based on number of players, everyone picks a color (or is assigned one) and then you set up the board according to the layout provided on the card. Set up takes a little bit, but it’s still generally faster than the old system.
The objectives, both big and small, help give the game a little bit of urgency. Once things get moving, players can go after different objectives, which adds another layer of strategy beyond global domination.
The weaknesses in the game are still there (if you control Australia you’re ahead of the game), but it’s a fresh way to re-introduce people to the game and keep it under 3 hours.
Risk is a game that will always provide strong feelings of nostalgia. I played it often as a child and stayed up late, too late, playing with friends to conquer the world.
As I’ve grown older, ventured deeper into the board game hobby, and found that I have less time, Risk just doesn’t fit the bill anymore.
Risk is incredibly simple and elegant, which is outstanding. Unfortunately, 20 units can and will lose against 2 units when the fickle dice decide so.
Furthermore, the game is a series of escalation as players cash in cards to reinforce with more in more units until it reaches an absurd degree.
That being said, Risk has some really strong elements. The human element of shaky alliances and pacts is an outstanding element. Choosing your initial setup is fun and can largely determine the game. And fighting for your favorite country (admit it, you have one) is always a pleasure.
Risk has paved the way for many new games. And Risk: Legacy is taking the brand into really bold, innovative new territory. For me? I’d rather play Memoir ’44, 1812: The Invasion of Canada, or other outstanding modern war games.
Risk is Risk. There’s no way around it. You either enjoy it or you don’t. I like the revised edition much more than the original version because it allows for victory conditions other than “slog it out to the end” and it does away with the linear cards for re-enforcements, leading to players sitting on their cards.
My suggestion is to try one of the many variants available. They take what might be a predictable game and in some cases turn it on it’s head. I own Lord of the Rings: Trilogy Edition Risk and Metal Gear Solid Risk, and each has it’s own unique take on the game.
The board in LotR Risk is a radical departure from what experienced Risk players are used to and makes everyone rethink their strategy from turn one. The inclusion of leaders fortresses adds another strategic layer to the game that is very fresh. Best of all the game has a built in end. Every turn the ring marches to Mount Doom and aside from a few obstacles you can see about how much longer you have to implement your strategy.
MGS Risk is a re-skin of the Revised Edition, but with several valuable inclusions. First you get to hire mercenaries, experienced warfighters that you can use to lead your armies. Second is the currency system, or Drebin points, that allows you to pay for your mercenaries as well as play specialty cards that can greatly impact the game. The last major inclusion is the addition of Outer Haven, an advanced submarine that is a 3 space territory that can move to any of the continents.
In closing Risk is pretty much the same as ever (with some exception), but the many varieties make it fresh and thematic. I like to think of Risk as a deck of cards, just a basic construct that you can use to play any other number of more complex games. I’m looking forward to picking up Risk: Legacy and seeing just how far the core Risk game can be pushed.
Risk is a good idea, but the problem is that you can have amazing strategy, and luck will pull you down.
The board and pieces (I have the classic version) are wonderful. I would love to get my hands on the 2210 edition.
The randomness from the dice can really hurt a lot.
The mechanics of the game are fun though. Setting up is not difficult, and can be entertaining when you set pieces on something someone else is trying to control. “******, I wanted Asia!”
This game takes a long time to play. I have never spent less than 3 hours to finish a game.
Risk is a strategy board game where players choose their countries/areas, place their troops, and fight one another to take over the world.
I have been playing Risk since 1971 – first with my friends and then with my children & their friends. It was the first game I ever played where the players didn’t just use their playing pieces to follow one another around a set pattern on the board. It was as if someone had melded the strategy of chess with the flexibility of mental puzzles and the graphics of a board game. I have played at least 5 different variations of the game – all of them fun and challenging.
The board graphics and playing pieces have changed through the years for the variations. The rules have even changed to add more difficult challenges for more advanced players, but the game is still one of the best strategy games ever developed. The basic game is easier to learn than some of the more modern board games, but unless you know how long Risk has been around, you would believe it is one of the modern board games. Some of the variations are set in historical eras, but none of the variations is dated. Risk has truly stood the test of time to become a classic game.
I recommend Risk to any gamer who enjoys strategy games or war games.
Now I really have to walk the memory line.
My grandmother gave this to me, at the age of 15.
This was published by Parker, and could be played by 2 to 6 players. NOT 2 to 5, that is published in these days.
Why the lack of the 6th player.
If I hadn’t known better, I would have thought that someone has decided, that You shal not have to many boardgameplaying friends.
Spooky…
Aim of the Game:
Conquer the world with 3 dices in your hand, a lot of plastic- soldiers, well played RISK cards, some luck and a lot of diplomatic knowhow, that can turn your sworn enemy to your belowed allied friend, than backstab that stupid oaf.
Theres gonna be a lot of emotions, some crying, possible some braging and at last, a Victorious Winner.
You and your other friends, are going to make him/her pay for this, the next time you play this.
Enjoy, and make them cry 🙂
You’re probably reading this with Risk-playtime behind your ears. So I’m gonna cut to the point: Risk is outdated, even in this new revision – which actually makes the game worse.
And here’s why: Dice is king. You could – theoretically – defend your country against 20 incoming units using only 1 unit. Or you could overrun the entire world in one turn, unless you use house rules.
Gaining new troops are also one aspect which I find unbalanced. The more countries you have, the stronger you’ll get. And the one’s not so strong have to fend for themselves in the hopes they won’t have a bad time playing.
There’s usually a player or two who gets picked on at the very start, because he’s easy prey. The gamer might become frustrated or even angry, ruining the game for the rest.
I still haven’t had a game of Risk that I truly enjoyed. The choices are too limited, and there are so many other games like it that does this job so much better. I can’t recommend Risk to anyone. I’ve yet to try the 2210 A.D. version, which I hear is quite good.
While not my most favorite board game, risk is probably where I got my start when it comes to my current love of war themed strategy games. You don’t get much more simple than Risk. Players take turns attacking each other in a bid for global domination. Battle is the outcome of the roll of the dice, and despite some tactical choices relies heavily on luck.
The production quality of the most recent games has been decent, though nothing overly special. The game is easy to learn, and fun to play if not played too often. Great for a bored day when you’re feeling nostalgic.
There are very few board games you can’t convince me to play. And Risk is at the top of that list.
It’s too simple, it never engages your thinking side.
It’s too random, you never feel secure or safe.
It’s too predictable (I realize I just said it’s random), you know who’s going to win by turn three.
It’s infuriating, a game does not go by where one person doesn’t throw a fit about the dice.
Basically, the downsides balance out into a game that lets new players compete slightly, doesn’t let any one person guarantee victory too early, but lends itself to all the downsides of the faults it manages to avoid: Everyone feels like they are losing (except *MAYBE* one person), nobody ever feels joyous at an unexpected victory (Sure, it’s kinda funny when I defend with 1 guy against 20 attackers, but I never go “YES I AM SO HAPPY NOW!” afterward. I just laugh ’cause it’s funny, and the other guy is blowing a gasket at how stupid dice and Risk are)…
Basically, Risk feels too much like life. You focus on the downsides constantly while playing, randomness ****** you off, and you never really feel the up sides of it, and it goes on and on with no end in sight.
Worst of all, games where players die suck as social games. If I have three friends over, I don’t want to play Risk with two of them for two hours after we kill off one person. That’s not fun.
Games should provide positive feelings as results of playing. I’d rather have fun losing than hate winning, so I’d rather play just about anything other than Risk.
Risk is by far one of my favorite board game. Every game is different and it takes a commitment to play. I love the energy around the board as you place your first pieces and everyone starts forming strategies.
I know people don’t like how long this game takes but I don’t see that as a hindrance. I feel like those who quit after two hours aren’t really fans of the game anyway and, besides, war should wear on a person’s fatigue. That means you get real world effects for no extra charge!
Companies keep trying to change the game with new settings, brands and rules but nothing beats the classic and nothing feels as good as take all of Europe for yourself.
Is it Pretty?
No, I guess it’s not. But it is! But not really!
It’s all the eye of the beholder, but I enjoy Risk’s simplistic design. When other versions try to muck around with it, that’s when I have a problem. But, I have to admit, in a world with Eldritch Horror, Archipelago or even the simpler designs of Settlers of Catan, Risk is overly-simple, bland board. It would be nice to see an edition where all the continents look like the environment they contain, instead of the single colors used. Plus, the plastic pieces… I get it! Okay? I get it. It’s simple. But I still like it!
Who’s it For?
So this is where nobody agrees with me, because I love Risk. If you love the complexities, the control, the well-refined mechanics of today’s newer games, Risk is not for you. It’s for people who can handle long hours and complete luck driven games. It’s for those who like the strategy it allows, but can get by with the strategy it lacks. It’s for me, a few of my friends and those who can still see through all the flaws that today’s gamers LOVE to point out.
Why is it in My Collection?
Just because something is old and doesn’t use the modern techniques, doesn’t mean it should be thrown away. Just because movies from decades ago don’t use today’s editing techniques and close-up shots doesn’t make them any less classic. I know people love to hate on this game and I know other games have come around and done this better, but I still love this game. Sure, it will get less and less play overtime, but it’s not going anywhere. If you don’t like this time of random, old game, there’s plenty of other options available to you.