(Board game) Risk spawn suggestion?

Games
1

I’m looking for suggestions and comments on some of the Risk board games. My plan is to purchase one of the 3 Risk games below to play with my local board gaming crew. We enjoy games from the simple to the longer, but still playable in one session, board games such as Twilight Imperium, Axis & Allies, Settlers of Catan, Carcassonne, LoTR Risk, etc.

I’m considering 1 of these 3:

Risk 2210 A.D.
http://boardgamegeek.com/game/1829

Risk Star Wars: The Clone Wars Edition

Risk Star Wars: Original Trilogy Edition

The general comments on boardgamegeeks.com shine favorably for each of these 3. Comments on each are welcome, and comments about which is the best of these 3 (and why) would be grand! As of right now, I’m leaning towards Risk 2210.

We enjoy LoTR Risk for both story and gameplay, but dislike regular Risk due to the sweeping army battles that happen in the late game.

Thanks.

2

I’ve never played it myself, but my boardgamedar (based on things I’ve read and heard over the years) says that 2210 is the best of the lot.

3

It is. I wouldn’t call it a great game but if you do like Risk this is probably the best official variant, or one of the best.

I’d personally go with War of the Ring. It’s really not like Risk rules wise but it has a similar feel…and is a much better game, imo. If you like LotR Risk you really do need to get this.

You guys play Twilight Imperium in one session?

4

I’ve only played T:I in single sessions, though they were long ones.

Incidentally, if you like something Riskesque but with a bit of a German feel to it you might check out Antike.

5

Um, War of the Ring is only for two players.

Lorini

6

I think there are rules for playing with more, but maybe I read they aren’t so good.

[edit] Oops bad link! Okay, here we go, hopefully: 2-4 players

7

2210 AD is the best, by far. Me and my buds bought it, and have loved playing it.

The game becomes strategical, as you only have so long to win the game, and you get heroes to fight. There is also the Moon, and Australia and South America aren’t fortress states now, as there are ocean territories.

Its fun as hell.

8

I miss Nuke. I used to have a copy but it wandered…

9

2210 is similar to this. Just more zones and a superguy. I hear LOTR is one of the best.

10

Best bet is to have a computer handy, so that a quick dice roller can be used to determine HUGE battles.

That, or use BYOND to play Incursion…

11

I think it’s quite good with four as you split up the nations. It even works with three although to a lesser degree.

This review pretty much sums it up (with cool pics).

http://boardgamegeeks.com/thread/147984

I realize he didn’t ask about this game but I just think anyone that even halfway enjoys LotR Risk needs to at least give this a try…even before Risk 2210, which isn’t a bad game either.

12

Well to me, the two games are completely and totally different. I’ve played both quite a bit, and in no way does War of Ring remind me of Risk. Actually, Hasbro’s Nexus Ops (going out of print) and Fantasy Flight’s Twilight Imperium are both much closer in game elements than War of the Ring.

[rant on] I’m a board game fanatic and I really want other people to play boardgames too. So when people ask for a game like “xyz” or a family game or whatever, it really gets to me when others just start throwing in suggestions, ignoring what the original poster asks for. This can result in the original poster following the (imo poor) suggestion, getting upset because the game is not what he or she asked for, and then not playing board games. [rant off]

Lorini

13

LOTR is one of the best but it may be out of print. There were two versions with the second having more area. LOTR is a relatively quick game that encourages aggressive play and does the lore fairly well for a risk board-game. The game only allows 4 players.

Risk 2210 is also pretty good with some neat features.

I have Risk Godstorm but have never played it.

I have read reviews that pan the Clone Wars risk. Board gaming geek has the reviews so read them and check them out for yourselves.

14

Sigh. Whatever man. No mas.

15

I’d agree there is not much similarity between LoTR Risk and War of the Ring other than that both have plastic figures and uses dice. War of the Ring is a very thematic game - with unbeatable narrative drive for a boardgame. Very neat game.

Everyone that I’ve ever spoken with on the subject point to 2210 AD as being the only RISK game worth having.

16

Thank for the great replies. Someone sent me a great review of The Original Star Wars edition of Risk, here:


It compares it to 2210 and the Clone Wars variant.

In this case, I do not mind other suggestions, as my gaming group loves to play pretty much any type of game. The problem we’ve been having latety is the length of time some of these board games require to complete in one sitting. Yes, we have completed Twilight Imperium in one sitting, but it has taken at least 6 hours, and some games have lasted 8+.

This gaming group has been together for ~20 years, having played nearly every type of game under the sun. Games where each player controls a single side, thus competing againast everyone else, tend to last forever in our group due to the known problem of sticking your neck out early (getting close to victory) and having your head lopped off (every other players gangs up on you to prevent you from winning, and pretty much ending your game). This happens to us in every game of Twlight Imperium we play, and quite of few other games.

I read the review of War of the Rings postged above. It looks very good. The review claimed it takes a long time to play at 3-4 hours. This would be a short game for us and hopefully it doesn’t take much longer.

I think I’ll buy either War of the Ring or 2210, possibly both. From what I’ve read, we should enjoy both. Thanks folks.