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Game Reviews
A majority of the original reviews were submitted by Charles Bahl and Robert Waters...Thanks!!!

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Alternate Name(s) and Some Stats
Elfenland (Amigo Spiel)
Events Played At59Last Month0
Locations Played At18Two Months0
Last Played On8/12/2023 Three Months0


Game: Elfenland  (Amigo Spiel)
Submitted By: Charles Bahl (The Quake Coast Game Club, San Jose, CA)
Date: 7/1/2000
Views: 6928

Elfenland probably will appeal to game players who enjoy solving a good puzzle.  Unfortunately (or fortunately, as the case may be), I am not one of these, and I found the game basically tedious, prone to extended calculation (while the rest of the players sit there), and lacking in any really enjoyable player interaction.

The goal is to visit as many cities on the board as possible.  Cities are connected by roads that pass through one particular type of terrain (forest, desert, plains, etc.)  Each terrain type can be crossed using various forms of transportation.  For example, deserts can be traversed by dragons, troll wagons, and unicorns, but not by giant pigs, elfcycles, or magic clouds.  Using a supply of counters, players first determine the type of transport that will be used on selected road segments.  Players then move their playing piece (a large wooden boot (that's boot not boat)) from city to city by playing cards from their hand that match the required transportation type for each road they traverse.  (For more detailed rules check out the Funagaingames.com website.)  You can attempt to delay an opponent's progress by playing an obstacle tile or by playing a tile (that you hope he will not be able to use) on one of his intended routes. Ordinarily, however, you are simply operating on your own to find the most efficient path to the most cities.

Elfenland is certainly a very different kind of game, and for that I applaud it.  Ultimately, however, it left me cold.  With so many other games to play, I am unlikely to return to it.

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