Amazeing! (Ravensburger Labyrinth)

Member Name: ghoti

Product:	Ravensburger Labyrinth
Date:	08/10/09 (38 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: It's a great game

Disadvantages: None, really.

I first played this game as a teenager, my grandparents have a copy of the first release (German only). I bought my own copy about 5 years ago, and also bought a copy for a friend very recently. So I'm familiar with three different versions of the game, over the course of fiteen years or so.

The game works by having a board with little cardboard squares. The squares form a map - each piece has a section of path and some wall on, and together they form a maze. Some of the squares are stuck to the board, the rest you place on, and there's one left over. This, the player uses to change the shape of the map, by pushing a whole row along. On some of the squares is a picture (on every static square is a picture of an object which could not normally move itself - such as keys or a skull - on some of the movable ones is a picture of a creature that could move - such as a mouse or a ghost. This feature is quite useful in game play).

Play works that each player has a pile of cards with pictures on, and they have to get their counter to the tile with the same picture, by moving the map and moving their counter along the paths. At the end, you have to get home again. For younger players, you can give fewer cards, or allow them to look at all their cards and decide which one to go to next, so it's fair to play as a family game.

I haven't noticed any difference in game play across the versions, although other people have commented on this - perhaps the first English version was different to the original German. The difference now is that the counters representing players are not simple ludo-like pieces, but little statues of wizards. The board remains the same.

Over the time we've had the game, it's been played quite a lot, and is still in as good condition as it was when we got it. The pieces and tiles are very sturdy, as is the board. There are no irritating gaps in the box once it's made up, so it doesn't take up more room than it should on the shelf.

It's interesting enough for adults to play on their own, and my son hsa been playing it since he was six, with enjoyment. He started off with a headstart, and now he's ten, he plays on equal terms with adults (and wins as often as anyone else).

It's a good, long lasting game in terms of enjoyment, and in terms of lasting.

Summary: A great game for all the family.