Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Great game, disappointing materials, December 20, 2005
Durability:2.0 out of 5 stars Fun:5.0 out of 5 stars Educational:3.0 out of 5 stars
I have been playing the original Robo Rally game with its expansion boards for almost a decade and it is by far one of the greatest board games ever. The challenges of navigating a fragile robot through the dangerous terrain of the factory floor are both thrilling and hilarious. A single miscalculation can lead to great triumphs and (sometimes literally) crushing tragedies. The straightforward rules and the simplicity of the game mechanics makes this a very approachable game for beginners but also allows a level of complexity and freshness with each play that keeps more seasoned players interested. This game is best when played by the maximum number of people, but expect a full game to take more than an hour.
There is one major drawback to the new release of this great game: the materials. The original game was printed on heavy, board game style boards that are very durable and can withstand the rough treatment that well used board games endure. The new release boards are printed on double-sided, heavyweight card paper (about a double-thickness of normal poster board.) The two decks of cards in the original were slightly larger and printed on a heavier stock than the new release. An improvement over the old version is the damage markers and inclusion of robot sheets that make organizing the game easier. The most disappointing thing for me was the use of plastic figures for the robots instead of the original's metal miniatures. Unfortunately, in all tabletop games the trend lately has been away from metal miniatures in favor of plastic. All of these things considered, I don't see this game standing up well to use by younger players who have a tendency to be less careful with their board games.
Overall, I would still highly recommend this game to anyone who is interested in board games where dice and repetition don't decide the outcome. It is challenging for people with difficulty keeping left, right, and other spatial concepts straight in their head, but isn't unplayable for children below the recommended twelve if a little understanding and patience is allowed. Just keep in mind that more care than usual is going to be needed to keep the game boards from being bent or torn.
(This game includes pieces that could pose a choking hazard for very young children so be aware of this when considering purchasing this game.)
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13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
RoboRally Re-Released!, July 25, 2005
Durability:3.0 out of 5 stars Fun:5.0 out of 5 stars Educational:4.0 out of 5 stars
RoboRally has been a favorite of my family and friends for a long time, and I was horrified when the game went out of print. Now, in 2005, it has returned with a few new tweaks and it is still the fun and amazing game that it always has been. :)
The Basics:
In RoboRally you play a robot... they all have different, and mostly psychotic personalities. My favorite is Spinbot. :) Anyway, using programming cards, you have to program your robot and try to win the race. The game is amazingly variable. You have several boards that you can use to build new factory configurations, there are easier and harder boards to traverse... as players, you choose where all of the race checkpoints are, so that can also make the game easier or harder.
Overall, it is a fun, addictive game that has a lot of educational value. Learning to program your robot so that it turns the right way and comes off of the conveyor belt in the right direction, etc. is challenging, and since there are many boards, there are potentially hours of fun for a wide variety of skill levels. For a shorter game, just use one checkpoint (flag).
I unreservedly recommend this game to anyone who would like to try something a little more fun and challenging than your typical department store games.
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9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Great re-release, but disappointing components, March 17, 2006
Durability:3.0 out of 5 stars Fun:5.0 out of 5 stars Educational:3.0 out of 5 stars
Okay, here's the bad thing about this new release of a wonderful game. It's significantly lower in quality than the original. Not that the components will fall apart on you or anything. It's just a little disappointing. But since I've got the original sets anyway, and it's next to impossible to find otherwise, this is a fine compromise and a great game.
One more complaint: They removed the Crusher obstacle. I don't know why. It was an easy aspect to understand. I don't mind the loss of virtual bots. That wasn't all that difficult, but the new rules work just as well and avoid some confusion.
On to the game. I won't describe it in detail. Just read one of the other reviews for that. What I will say is that Robo-Rally is a game with lots of luck, but a healthy dose of skill and strategy. Like most card games, you've got to work with the draw you're given, but more often than not, when I lose it's because I screwed up or my opponent simply played better.
The best thing about RR to me is its flexibility and replayability. Since there's no set layout of boards and flags, you can arrange it in as short and direct or as long and complicated a race as you like. I've played with kids as young as ten and found them capable of understanding it. It's not very hard to learn really, but with tons of strategy.
If you've played RR before and are looking for a fresh set, then this will do nicely. If you've never played before and want a unique, flexible, fun game, then I also recommend it.
One of my favorites for ten years now. And always will be.
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