Novel-Based

Lord of the Rings

This game should not be confused with Reiner Knizia's children's game (Lord of the Rings) with the same title, or with his very different two-player Lord of the Rings: The Confrontation.

Lord of the Rings is a co-operative game where the object is to destroy the Ring while surviving the corrupting influence of Sauron. Each player plays one of the Hobbits in the fellowship, each of which has a unique power. The game is played on a number of boards: the Master board indicates both the physical progress of the fellowship across Middle Earth and the corrupting influence of Sauron on the hobbits, and a number of scenario boards which detail the events and adventures of particular locations. Progression across the boards is determined by playing cards (many of which represent the characters and items of Middle Earth), and the effects of corruption are represented by a special die. The game is lost if the ring-bearer is overcome by Sauron, or won if the ring is destroyed by throwing it into the volcanic fires of Mount Doom.

Lord of the Rings - Limited Edition

A special edition limited to 500 copies in the English language and 250 in German published by Sophisticated Games and Kosmos in November 2001. The Limited Edition has a silver 22 carat gold plated ring, pewter Hobbit playing pieces, and a signed and numbered John Howe print. Box signed by Reiner Knizia.

World War Z: The Game

In World War Z: The Game, a strategy game based on the movie and book of the same name, players work together to stop the spread of the zombie pandemic across the globe. Two to four players begin the game by choosing an ability-granting Role Card and starting in the United States. Players roll a die to initiate the zombie threat, represented by horde tokens of strengths 1 through 4 placed in zones around the board. Special "grey zones" represent lack of intel by featuring face-down tokens with zombie hordes of unknown strengths. Throughout the game, players travel to different zones and battle the zombie hordes in those locations by rolling dice and adding effects of Combat Cards.

The game features a die-based combat system. Humans always roll a six-sided die, while the hordes are represented by either a six-, eight-, ten-, or twelve-sided die depending on their strength. Humans may modify their role or add additional effects by playing Combat Cards, which consist of reusable Weapons (including Lobos, slang for "Lobotomizers") and one-shot Tactics (like Booby Traps or Redeployment). Every time a human wins a battle, the zombie horde strength decreases by one level, while victories for zombies cause players to discard Combat Cards. At the end of each turn, humans draw a Threat Escalation card to reveal how the zombie threat has grown.

Though players start the game working together against the zombies, when a player loses all his Combat cards, he becomes one of the undead. Player-zombies can manipulate the hordes on the board to attack other humans and to escalate the zombie threat.

The game ends after a predetermined number of rounds based on the number of players (six rounds for four players, seven for three, and eight for two). At the end of the game, if more than ten total zombie hordes of strength 3 or 4 still remain on the map, the humans lose (and any zombie players win). If ten or fewer such hordes remain, the humans collectively win.

Moby Dick, or, The Card Game

Moby Dick, or, The Card Game is an adventure card game designed for 2-4 players, with additional rules for solitaire play. Based on Herman Melville's classic novel, Moby Dick combines cooperative and competitive play in an attempt to loosely simulate life on a 19th century whaleship.

The game is centered around three decks of cards: the Sea, the Sailor, and the Whale. After receiving an initial crew of sailors, players take turns at the topmast, where they draw Sea cards to advance the game. These cards contain various creatures and events, compelling actions between players or triggering the secondary phase of the game – the whale hunt. During a whale hunt, each player begins by choosing a small group of their sailors to lower after the whale. Play progresses much like the primary gameplay, with players taking turns defending against the whale's assaults and returning the favors.

As the game unfolds, players gain oil from defeating whales or from certain events, which can be used to hire new sailors after others are lost at sea. Over time, key events (Chapters) will be drawn, and after a certain number Moby Dick will cease evading the ship and engage when sighted. This last battle is to the death, and only one player will survive. Call him the winner, or simply, Ishmael.

Tales & Games: The Three Little Pigs

As a little pig, your dearest wish is to build a strong and beautiful house in which you can spend your long winter evenings. But you won’t need trowels nor scaffoldings, as only dice will allow you to construct your dream home. Beware the wolf prowling around, whose only thought is to literally blow down your comfy house!

The Three Little Pigs is an easy and fun dice game for the whole family. On your turn, roll the special pink dice up to three times and try to generate symbols to trade for doors, windows, and roofs made of straw, wood, and brick. The more beautiful and voluminous your house is, the more points you will earn at the end of the game. If you generate two wolf symbols, take a huff and puff and blow someone's house down!

This original game comes in a box decorated to look like a storybook and includes an illustrated version of the famous tale of the Three Little Pigs.

Sherlock Deluxe

Sherlock Deluxe

The Card Game Where Memory and Deduction are “Elementary”!

Winner of over 6 awards, including the Parent's Choice Gold award, The National Parenting Center's Seal of Approval, Creative Child Magazine's Preferred Choice Award and more, the Sherlock card game now has a new look in the Sherlock Deluxe edition!

The new and elegant book-shaped box attractively houses the popular game, and as a special addition, includes an intricately sculpted Sherlock pawn and 11 extra clue cards!

As Sherlock goes around and searches the clues, every player tries to remember each of the eight objects hidden in a facedown circle of cards. Then, Sherlock travels from one card to another. Each time Sherlock stops at a facedown card, the player has to remember which object is on that card. Sherlock continues to move, as long as the player guesses correctly.

If Sherlock travels to a face-up card, then the player gets to keep that card. The first player to collect six cards wins!

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For 2 to 5 Players
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Ages 5 to Adult
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15 Minute Playing Time

Contents: 60 Clue Cards, 1 Sherlock Pawn and Instructions in English, Spanish & French

Re-implements:

Sherlock