When I was a little kid, family games consisted of old classics like
Boggle, Monopoly, and Yahtzee. These days, one might assume
that with so much advanced electronic entertainment technology (Sony's
PS3, Nintendo's Wii) dominating the industry, traditional gaming options
might not be able to compete in the marketplace. However, to the surprise of many in the
gaming industry, traditional-style board games continue to remain strong in
the industry.
The reason for their continued success has much to do with the fact
that, instead of marketing to mainstream consumers, some board game
manufacturers have begun targeting customer niches with special
editions of hit games (like the "Lord of the Rings" version of Trivial
Pursuit), while others have been developing new games for the specific
interests of pocket groups.
I guess it's the pursuit of the latter that best explains the newest and hottest hit board game, "The War On Terror."
According to the game's manufacturers, the goal of "The War on
Terror" is to "liberate the world, ridding it of fear and terrorism
forever. Naturally, only the biggest and strongest Empires are up to
this task and so a certain amount of dominance needs to be shown.
Alternatively, you can play as the terrorists, fighting for a world
without empires...It's a a bizarre and macabre game where lying,
duplicity and inconsistent morals are the instruments of winning and
the rules are made up by those in the lead."
I find it highly amusing that the makers claim "The War on Terror" is a great family game suitable for all ages.
But what I find even funnier? The French version of the game will be released next year. Hah!
