Quests to slay wild boars, repel Saxon raiders, or overcome evil knights, and tournaments against other worthy players are the stuff of Quests of the Round Table, a fast-paced card game set in the England of King Arthur.
Quests of the Round Table is intended for two to four players, and can be played in about an hour. Components include 125 adventure cards, 28 story cards, 12 rank cards (three for each player), 40 shield tokens in four colors (10 for each player), and a rules book, which includes a brief history of the legends of King Arthur, short biographies of several notable characters, and a suggested reading list.
Game mechanics are fairly simple. Each turn a story card determines the turn's action, which includes the possibility of a quest, a tournament, or some other occurrence. Players maintain a hand of cards and use them to construct quests for other players to attempt, enter upon quests themselves, and compete in tournaments. Success in quests and tournaments results in the award of shields, which are accumulated to advance in rank from Squire, to Knight, to Champion Knight, to Knight of the Round Table.
If a quest card is drawn, a player can sponsor the quest, using his cards to build a multi-stage series of obstacles for the other players. Those who wish to can embark on the quest, using their adventure cards to overcome the foes and tests on the progressively more difficult stages of the quest. The adventure cards are really quite attractive, and depict colorful weapons, allies, and foes.
The game is recommended for ages 10 and over. A 10-year-old can certainly be taught the game and will enjoy it, but probably should not simply be handed it to figure out on their own.
Once players master the rules, Quests of the Round Table moves quickly. The rules themselves are brief, and can be read through in about 15 minutes. However, a few points are not explicitly explained, and players will need to address them. For example, can a player sponsor the "Boar Hunt" quest if he does not have the Boar foe card, or the "Repel the Saxon Raiders" quest if she does not have one of the Saxon cards? Presumably, such unclarities will be remedied in future rules editions.
Such points are minor, however, and ultimately do not mar the enjoyment of this well-executed game. On a scale of one to 10, Quests of the Round Table scores a 9.
Quests of the Round Table is available at many game and toy stores. To obtain it directly from the manufacturer, contact Gamewright, P.O. Box 120, Boston, MA 02258;Phone: (617) 924-6006; Fax: (617) 924-6101; E-mail: gamewright@aol.com; Website: http://www.gamewright.com. |
