The Game Ned Kelly pits two players against each other as the Kelly Gang seeks to outwit the forces of the Victorian police force which have seemingly surrounded them.

The aim is simple

The Kelly Gang must help get Ned to one of his four hideouts (represented by a shamrock - a link to his Irish heratige) while the police must capture the bushranger.

The game is innovative in its design as it uses a hessian mat depicting an 11 x 11 square grid.

This serves as the game board and fits nicely into the game's cylindrical tube.

The remaining pieces are the 12 gang members (all in the shape of the Ned Kelly helmet, with Ned being larger than the rest) and the 24 police figures, in the shape of the early "Bobby" helmets.

The baord uses a series of ovals and circles to outline the setup of the gang and the police.

The gang is positioned in the centre of the board, with Ned in the middle of the gang, whilst the police take up their position on the four edges of the board, six a side.

The stage is now set for a battle of wits.

The game play feels like a mixture of Chess and Othello and would certainly appeal strongly to lovers of these abstract strategy-based games.

Each turn allows the active player to move any one piece in a horizontal or vertical direction.

There is no limit to the distance a piece can move but it must stop if it hits the edge of the board or another piece.

Capturing an enemy is possible by trapping it between two of your pieces.

When a piece is captured it can be removed from the board or left in place and a captured piece of your own can be reclaimed and placed.

Of course Ned is more difficult to capture and must be surounded on all sides.

This is the basic play and it can make for some engrossing encounters.

There are some more subtle rules that open up the options on any given turn such as moving into a capture position voluntarily, the "Traitor Rule" and the "Mirror".

I will let you discover these little gems for yourself.

The Game Ned Kelly takes a classic piece of Australian folklore and blends it wondefully with a strong sense of purpose and game play to create an enjoyable gaming experience.

The cylinder design makes it perfect for storing on a bookshelf or a display stand and the rules offer historical facts regarding the Kelly Gang and their eventual demise.

It is rare to find a strategy game using an Australian theme and developed by an Australian designer.

This makes a great gift, post Australia Day.