Gaming Report: Risk 2210

Quick note: This will be the last post of the year.

We recently acquired Risk 2210 A.D. and the kids were anxious to dive straight into it.  They really enjoy these epic, dudes-on-a-map games.  Part of me understands for the obvious reasons of how awesome they are.  But part of me is surprised, too, since the strategy is often difficult to grasp at younger ages and the down time between their turns is often agonizingly glacial.  Despite the lack of challenge (not the reason I play with my kids right now, anyway) and their sometimes frustrating lack of focus, I was more than willing to oblige.

North America was evidently quite devasted from the "last war!"

This will get a fuller treatment in a future review, but for now, Risk 2210 is a very nice improvement over the original game.  The theme is stronger.  The ocean and lunar territories significantly altar the old strategies.  And commanders and command cards throw in a fun amount of unpredictability and chaos while leveling the playing field no matter how far or behind you may think you are.  The dice can still destroy all your plans, as poor Cory discovered in trying to take Europe.  Brendon nearly beat me just in acquiring four command cards that awarded him bonus points at the end of the game.  Hope came close to victory, too, by deftly taking over the entire Moon, until I caught on in the last turn that she'd beat me if I didn't counter-attack there.  Lilly learned that, just like in old Risk, you can't try to take and hold Asia!  And they all laughed as I lost Australia to a back door sea invasion.  There's a lot to keep track of in this re-imagined version.


Hope begins her lunar conquest.



Interestingly, there is a five-turn limit, which means the game ends quite abruptly.  While certainly a great improvement over the day-long slug-fests of old, you still must plan on spending 3-4 hours, nonetheless.  Down time between your turns is also still a problem.  And ironically, the turn limit is one of the negatives I have with the game after our one play - just as you're finally gearing up to implement a massive campaign, it's all over!  Oh well, I guess that can be easily remedied if all players agree to a turn or two extension.  Although just when I agree to a 6th turn is when one of the little twerps will no doubt draw a scatter bomb card and wipe out half my MODs!

Making use of the sea.