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Skullduggery Game Breakdown:
Our Rating:
User Rating:
(based on 1 votes)
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Details:
Number of Players: 2 to 4
Ages: 8+
Avg. Time to Play: 45 minutes
Time to Learn: 15 minutes
Released: 2006
Publisher: Outset Media
Awards:
In the Box:- 4 pirate playing pieces
- 8 enemy pirate playing pieces
- 40 tiles (5" x 5")
- 16 map pieces
- 1 bag of glass gems
- 1 jolly roger die
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Skullduggery |
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Availability:
Out of stock
List Price:
$24.99
Our Price:
$21.95
You Save:
$3.04 (12%)
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Description:
Avast ye mateys! In this fun tile game, young scallywags are marooned on a tropical island with a piece of treasure map. By hook or by crook (or by roll of the Jolly Roger die), players face challenges like scurvy ne'er-do-wells and dangerous animals. Precious gems and landmarks discovered along the way help players reach the treasure first.
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 | | Skullduggery Images: | | | | | | |  | | Our Rating:
Our Review:
This fun, pirate-themed family game contains lots of colorful pieces that the younger kids will want to take out of the game box and play with, whether or not they are playing the game. There are good and bad pirate figures, glass gemstones, and colorful island map tiles. The object of the game is to navigate through ever-changing trails on a treasure island to reach certain landmarks, while avoiding enemy pirates and wild animals. When each landmark is reached, the player uncovers a piece of her treasure map. After four of the landmarks are reached, a player has completed a treasure map and the race to the treasure begins.
The game itself is somewhat reminiscent of the classic game The Amazing Labyrinth, and is essentially a maze of pathways that lead to various goals and obstacles. However, there are several unique twists that make it considerably more interesting. One of these is the use of enemy pirates, which serve as obstacles that can be strategically placed to block your opponents. Another is the use of gemstones, which are fun to collect and are used to enemy the bad pirates for passage.
The rules are a little more complex than most of the family games we review, but it should still be quick enough to learn for the recommended ages 8 and up to enjoy it. This game allows 2 to 4 players, and the time it takes to complete will depend on how many are playing. With three players including an 8-year-old, our first game took 15 minutes to learn the rules, and 45 minutes to play.
This game received the Mensa Best Mind Game award for 2007. This honor must be in part due to the various strategies that can be used. The game is certainly much more interesting if you play “like a pirate,” that is, if you use trickery and strategy (“Skullduggery”) to trip up your opponents.
One flaw in the game is that the motion of your pirate figure is limited to a single roll of a die that allows between 1 and 5 squares of movement. Since the game board consists of 36 tiles of 9 squares each, there is a lot of territory to cover with such small movement on individual turns. It sometimes took 3 or 4 turns to move a small amount. The gemstone and enemy pirate concepts are not terribly interesting if it takes too many turns to move a short distance down the path. This minor flaw can be fixed by adding a second die (which you would have to furnish) when rolling to move your pirate character, still allowing the “Jolley Roger” on the die that comes with the game to cause your turn to be skipped.
Another tip in Skullduggery worth following is to make sure you have a large enough playing area so that you can morph the island into more interesting shapes as play progresses. Since the players control the layout of the island tiles and placement of the enemies, many interesting configurations are possible. This would be a little easier if the tiles were a little smaller. At least the artwork on the tiles is fun.
In summary, the adults thought Skullduggery was okay, but the kids love it, and we can recommend it as a family game that is better than most.
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User Reviews:
| Skullduggery: Start a war in your family
The focus of this game is more on how to stop other players from achieving their goals, rather than on getting to your own. It seems to be the perfect way to start a family feud.
It really seems a shame, because the game components are excellent, and the theme has many possibilities.
by Avrum (Apr 23 2008)
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Rate Skullduggery by Outset Media:
All reviews become the sole property of Wasatch Game Company. |
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