Nightmare, The Board Game
Since everyone seemed pretty bummed after the game last night, (I didn't watch, but I DO have tickets on Tuesday and that's kinda scary), I figured I'd blog about something completely unrelated.
Last night I played an early 90s "interactive" board game called "Nightmare." The object is simple. First to get all their keys and get to the exact center of the board wins...as long as they don't draw their fear from the pile of cards stacked up in the center, anyway. A video (no, really a VIDEO TAPE) comes with the game and enforces a 60 minute playing period. If no one wins by the end of the game, the sPooOOOOOooooOOkkkKKKKyyyYYyy Gatekeeper wins. *gasp* You roll a die to move and stay on the perimeter of the board until you have all 6 of your keys.
The tape is a series of pre recorded "interactions" with the players, which occur at preset times and slow down play time. The Gatekeeper most often shows up to "punish" players, by banishing them to the black hole which is essentially the game's equivalent of Monopoly Jail. If you don't have a a card or key to play to release yourself from the black hole, you have to wait for the Gatekeeper to pop up and release you.
There are three types of cards, chance, time and fate. They all do pretty much the same thing, but time is bound to a certain point on the countdown clock and chance and fate are character bound or playable by all. The cards tell you to do things like scream at a certain time, or if someone gets too close to your grave stone (which is your player piece), or what to do if someone lands on you, etc. You keep hoping the cards will do something cool, but at most they'll keep you from losing a turn or allow you to steal a few fate cards from an opponent, which may or may not help you out.
Pluses: The game is short and easy to learn. The video of the Gatekeeper is hilarious.
Negatives: If you aren't 12 years old and female, or blitzed out of your gourd, it isn't very good. The characters you play have little impact on the game, and unless you are rolling fast and furious, there's almost no way to win before the hour is up. You get to hear a tape rewind again. Super old skool!
We decided the game would be a great slumber party game for preteen girls, but it would need updating. Most people don't have VCRs anymore and your kids would laugh you out of the room if you tried to use one. The game could be more interactive as well and the keys made easier to acquire so you actually have a shot at winning.
We had a good time, and made the best of it by snarking at the tv and making a lot of silly jokes, but I'd recommend going with some other options if you're looking for something gamey to do on a Saturday night.
Last night I played an early 90s "interactive" board game called "Nightmare." The object is simple. First to get all their keys and get to the exact center of the board wins...as long as they don't draw their fear from the pile of cards stacked up in the center, anyway. A video (no, really a VIDEO TAPE) comes with the game and enforces a 60 minute playing period. If no one wins by the end of the game, the sPooOOOOOooooOOkkkKKKKyyyYYyy Gatekeeper wins. *gasp* You roll a die to move and stay on the perimeter of the board until you have all 6 of your keys.
The tape is a series of pre recorded "interactions" with the players, which occur at preset times and slow down play time. The Gatekeeper most often shows up to "punish" players, by banishing them to the black hole which is essentially the game's equivalent of Monopoly Jail. If you don't have a a card or key to play to release yourself from the black hole, you have to wait for the Gatekeeper to pop up and release you.
There are three types of cards, chance, time and fate. They all do pretty much the same thing, but time is bound to a certain point on the countdown clock and chance and fate are character bound or playable by all. The cards tell you to do things like scream at a certain time, or if someone gets too close to your grave stone (which is your player piece), or what to do if someone lands on you, etc. You keep hoping the cards will do something cool, but at most they'll keep you from losing a turn or allow you to steal a few fate cards from an opponent, which may or may not help you out.
Pluses: The game is short and easy to learn. The video of the Gatekeeper is hilarious.
Negatives: If you aren't 12 years old and female, or blitzed out of your gourd, it isn't very good. The characters you play have little impact on the game, and unless you are rolling fast and furious, there's almost no way to win before the hour is up. You get to hear a tape rewind again. Super old skool!
We decided the game would be a great slumber party game for preteen girls, but it would need updating. Most people don't have VCRs anymore and your kids would laugh you out of the room if you tried to use one. The game could be more interactive as well and the keys made easier to acquire so you actually have a shot at winning.
We had a good time, and made the best of it by snarking at the tv and making a lot of silly jokes, but I'd recommend going with some other options if you're looking for something gamey to do on a Saturday night.
