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GAME
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PREVIOUS GAMES

April 2006
Pirates Cove

May 2006
Betrayal at House on the Hill
 
 

 

OCTOBER 2007
ZEUS ON THE LOOSE
(as seen in the Border Mail 04/10/07)

   Play Time: 20 - 30Minutes
Number of Players: 2 - 5
Difficulty: Pick Up and Play
Price: $20
Ages: 8 to Adult
Rating: 1/2

Look out! Zeus has lost has marbles and is on the loose as he heads up Mt. Olympus. It's now the job of the players to reign him back in and some of the other Greek Gods are happy to give him a hand!

Zeus on the Loose is a mathematical card game that looks visually stunning, is fun to play and allows children to use their maths skills all at the same time.

The deck consists of 40 number cards that range in value from 1 to 10 and there are a further 20 Greek God cards that all have special abilities.

 
     
  Each player is dealt 4 cards and each player must play 1 card to the discard pile (called Mt. Olympus) on their turn. When they do so they must add the value of the card they just played to the previous total. A Greek God effect may also alter the value by allowing a player to subtract points, round values and even reverse digits!

The aim is to try and make the total reach exactly 100 points. Doing so will earn you the Zeus figure and a letter in Zeus' name. A new round then begins and the first player to spell ZEUS, wins the game.
     
There is so much more to this game that I cannot fit it all in. For example Zeus can be taken by any player that makes the 'running total' hit an exact multiple of 10. In this way Zeus will change hands frequently. It is possible to play cards out of turn if you can match the exact number card played by another player (think Uno). Making Mt. Olympus go over 100 in this fashion will also see you win the round and score a letter.

But most importantly Zeus on the Loose is brave enough to use a large number of mathematical concepts in the one game. Children will love the options that are open to them and this game provides numerous 'Ah ha' moments that allow the players to discover new concepts and tactics! The card artwork is gorgeous as well and it also includes a cute little Zeus figure.

  
     
     


GAME REVIEW BY NEIL THOMSON.
 
(c) 2007 Mind Games Albury