Risk

To give you a quick idea of the game, you and a friend (up to six of you can play) take control of one of six coloured armies. Choose a game style to play, of which there are three and depending on what you're playing you will either be trying to conquer the world or accomplish a secret mission. Do not be fooled into thinking that luck will get you through though because a good player will still beat you even if you are lucky, through tactics you will be out flanked and out fought very quickly.

This is truly one of the best games there is to play and with a full complement of friends it's a very social game as well. Be warned though that the games can take a very long time to play but are never the less very satisfying and a lot more rewarding than the usual going round a board and collecting cash. If you've ever fancied being a General but aren't keen on having your pipe shot out of your mouth or getting your slippers dirty you can do a lot worse than destroy your best friends army.

This game is best played with a few nibbles, some drinks, a load of good friends and a whole night set aside to play it. Enjoy!

NB. I would recommend that you do take care of this game though as pieces do tend to go missing very quickly due to their size, just a hint.


Ah, the memories of conquering the world on college weekends   November 4, 2004
Lawrance M. Bernabo (The Zenith City, Duluth, Minnesota)
48 out of 64 found this review helpful

First, let me say that I do not really consider myself a South American person. Certainly not in the way some people are Australian strategists, who always start off with as many of the four areas of down under as they can get in the initial set up of "Risk." From Australia you have to go for Asia, but from South America you can move to North America or Africa. My objective in the first stage of the game is to have big armies in Central America, North Africa, Southern Europe and the Middle East and control of South America and Africa. This gives me not only control of two continents but denies other control of three more as well.

I have played a computer game version of Risk, but whipping a computer to conquer the world is no way near as much fun as sitting around a table playing with friends in college. Risk is a great game under such circumstances because you do not have to sit at the table the entire time; you can go off, make a sandwich, watching a game on the tube, or whatever, until it is either your turn or somebody yells out, Irkusk is under attack and you need to roll your defense dice. Then it comes down to how lucky you feel, for many an ego has been shot down by trying to take a country and seeing an army decimated by an opponent rolling fives and sixes.

This is also a great game for students of history and/or current events because there is an inherent tendency to provide the game with a narrative structure, especially when some undermanned army puts up a spirited defense. Then those gathered around the board will sing of the glory of the valiant defenders of Iceland, who were able to stave off the horde of "Green Meanies" attacking in three directions. My only complaint was having to pick up all the pieces every time you knocked the tray onto the floor...

Before there were computer games, before there was Dungeon & Dragons, there was Risk as the premier social game for college students. I am sure its rank in the world of competitive gamesmanship has been greatly reduced in the past couple of decades, but in its heyday Risk was the game of choice on weekends.


Stunning game for strategists   August 26, 2004
34 out of 38 found this review helpful

Forget anyone that sells you a video game and says it's strategic - quite simply, they aren't. If you want to learn about economics, game theory and human behaviour, then this is a must. It's a VERY sophisticated game for developing strategy and anyone who thinks it's simply about rolling dice is missing the point and will get spanked by a good player. It's like saying poker is just about betting on cards.

It takes a long time to play, longer than Monopoly (which is really about rolling dice more than anything), although there are speedier versions. That's not a problem with a lot of wine, some nibbles and some good friends (although they'll hate you at the end of the evening if you trounce them due to unspoken alliances - my enemy's enemy is my friend!)


A Classic Modernised   June 23, 2005
J. C. J. Raybould
26 out of 31 found this review helpful

Risk is a classic board game that requires strategy and luck. This new board game even has the pieces shaped like infantry, cavalry and cannons unlike the very old version. If you love strategy games and your a tyrant that wants the world, this game is great.


A brilliant game   August 19, 2004
20 out of 27 found this review helpful

One of the classic board games!! Set aside at least 3hours with at least 3 friends and get stuck in - you can even play in pairs and discuss tactics between yourselves, put two boards together and play with about 16 people; but that takes a whole weekend...so get in the snacks and drinks. The game balances a little luck with a dollop of skill perfectly, although winners claim it is all skill.