*** Out of my way, Goblin King! *** (Ravensburger Labyrinth)

Member Name: malibu_jenny

Product:	Ravensburger Labyrinth
Date:	02/11/08 (150 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Colourful, Magical And As Challenging Or Easy As You Like.

Disadvantages: Just a little more imagination would have completed it.

Little Brother was stretched out on the sofa, he's over 6ft and his legs blocked my path to the washing machine. I was stopped in my tracks by the unnatural and unusual state of things. "Why is the telly off?" I asked accusingly "And why are you... reading?"

He replied that yes, he was reading. But it was the Sun and only to look up something that was going to be on telly. I turned to The Boyfriend who was propping up the doorway and adjusting his baseball cap. "You should follow his example and do something that doesn't involve staring at a screen." How to facilitate this was a bit of a mystery, but an hour later we were in Help The Aged, looking at board games.

When I was a kid, I remember seeing the game Labyrinth at my friend's house. It sat there among the cigarette smoke from her dad and their scary leather sofas, with a tantalising box featuring a dungeons and dragons style castle exterior, treasure and a maze. I was never allowed to play it because 1) she didn't like it and 2) her dad didn't like us being in the house much. Here was my chance for a go and picking it up for £1.49, we dashed home in the rain to play it with a cup of tea.

It consists of 30 something little tiles of pathway, which you slot onto the board at random with one left over. You can use this leftover one to move the maze on your turn, opening and closing pathways and walling each other in. With the moveable element, no dice, no counting and the ability to move as far as you like each time (as long as there's no wall blocking you) this is a long way removed from other board games.

The 'treasure' cards are divided between the players, each of you hunting for items pictured on the board; a skull, a set of keys, a witch and lots more. The instructions suggest that you keep your current treasure card to yourself so that the other player has to try and work out where you're headed. For small children, you can allow them to look at all their cards at once to work out a route and make the game a bit easier. If, like us you like a challenge, you can have that card on show and turn this into a fiendish game of wits as you block each other at every turn.

I love nearly everything about this game. The board is colourful and magical, the rules are clear and easy to follow and the game itself is fun. The only disappointment with it is the playing pieces. These are just wooden pegs painted in primary colours and crying out to be made over into brightly painted witches, wizards or goblins.

Sat on the floor to be as near the heat from the radiator as possible, we played two games in a row. Chasing around the maze after the treasure, we promised ourselves that we would get this out at Christmas and play it again with little nephew, this is the kind of game that fits on the table and would be straightforward enough for everyone to enjoy. With a playing time of 20 minutes, it doesn't drag on too long (unlike Monopoly), it has no complicated scoring (forget Scrabble) and takes seconds to set up (Game of Life goes to the back of the pile). We're no board game geeks, but with our own twist of having the cards on show, every move became as considered as chess. I'm looking forward to playing it with the maximum of four people.

The version we bought was the 1992 set, but the same game has been re-released in a red and yellow cartoon style box, which focuses more heavily on the maze. This can be picked up on Amazon for £14.99 (http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00000J0 JF/ref=nosim/coffeeuk49709-21) or both versions can be found on ebay.

I've also spotted a Junior version, Master version (where you play against guardians and dragons), 3D version and themed versions - http://www.boardgamegeek.com/wiki/page/Ravensburge r_Labyrinth_Games is worth a look.

Summary: No David Bowie Soundtrack Required!