- players 2+
- ages 8+
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Product Specifications
Model Number076930420409
Product details
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Product Description
Plot your strategy in this classic battlefield game! Characters from the Lord of the Rings motion picture trilogy come together in this classic battle of good versus evil. Gandalf, Legolas, and Frodo and other forces of good stand side by side on the gameboard map as they face off against the Witch-king, Saruman, and Ringwraiths and the forces of evil. You and your opponent secretly place your army, strongholds, and flag on the gameboard. Now the battle begins. Move and attack cautiously for victory goes to the strongest. Capture the enemy's flag first and win! Three variations of gameplay.
Gameboard, 40 gray pieces, 40 beige pieces, Label sheet, and Instructions.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
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6 reviews
19 of 20 people found the following review helpful
Good Edition of a Fun Game
19 July 2004
Durability:
Educational:
Fun:
We are always on the lookout for fun strategy games for two players. Sometimes chess is just a little more thinking than we feel like doing and we find that some other strategy games, like Risk, just aren't as much fun with only two players. Enter Stratego, not as lengthy and mentally draining as chess can be and made for two players. The game does involve some strategy and we have alot of fun trying to outwit and outguess each others manuevers. I also love it because sometimes I can actually win unlike chess!
The Lord of the Rings version is a great idea. There are three variations of play. First, normal play as in classic Stratego where pieces move traditionally and object is to capture opponent's flag, using more recent rules where 10 is highest ranked piece though. Second, special powers game where some of the characters like Legolas, Gimli, Sauron, etc. have special movement abilities or powers bestowed on them. Third, special mission which plays like special powers but with the added element that Frodo has to reach Mount Doom and destroy the ring with dire consequences for the white team if he is captured or for the dark team if he succeeds. If you have multiple players you can also form two teams to play.
As for durability, I rated it at four stars. The board and plastic castle pieces seem very sturdy and should last forever. The storage platform for the playing pieces was flimsy cardboard though and the sides were slit so it falls over scattering the pieces. We taped the sides and that solved the problem but you don't really need to use the storage platform for the game pieces at all. You could just keep the pieces loose in the game box or put them in plastic bags. Also, be aware that there are forty pieces per player and they come blank with a sheet of stickers to apply to each, so you will need to stick 80 stickers total on the pieces for the initial set up.
One final tip! If your opponent is like mine and does victory laps around the living room with his arms in the air screaming the lyrics of Queen's We Are the Champions anytime he wins ANYTHING, you know he has to be taken down. I recommend Ed's Stratego site on the web as a good place to pick up strategy tips from some serious and experienced Stratego players for this. Please note though that they are following the older versions where 1 is the highest ranked piece, so adjust accordingly. Have fun!!
The Lord of the Rings version is a great idea. There are three variations of play. First, normal play as in classic Stratego where pieces move traditionally and object is to capture opponent's flag, using more recent rules where 10 is highest ranked piece though. Second, special powers game where some of the characters like Legolas, Gimli, Sauron, etc. have special movement abilities or powers bestowed on them. Third, special mission which plays like special powers but with the added element that Frodo has to reach Mount Doom and destroy the ring with dire consequences for the white team if he is captured or for the dark team if he succeeds. If you have multiple players you can also form two teams to play.
As for durability, I rated it at four stars. The board and plastic castle pieces seem very sturdy and should last forever. The storage platform for the playing pieces was flimsy cardboard though and the sides were slit so it falls over scattering the pieces. We taped the sides and that solved the problem but you don't really need to use the storage platform for the game pieces at all. You could just keep the pieces loose in the game box or put them in plastic bags. Also, be aware that there are forty pieces per player and they come blank with a sheet of stickers to apply to each, so you will need to stick 80 stickers total on the pieces for the initial set up.
One final tip! If your opponent is like mine and does victory laps around the living room with his arms in the air screaming the lyrics of Queen's We Are the Champions anytime he wins ANYTHING, you know he has to be taken down. I recommend Ed's Stratego site on the web as a good place to pick up strategy tips from some serious and experienced Stratego players for this. Please note though that they are following the older versions where 1 is the highest ranked piece, so adjust accordingly. Have fun!!
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Beginner's Strategy
27 Nov 2004
Durability:
Educational:
Fun:
Stratego is an excellent introduction to strategy games for kids. The rules are simple enough to get right on the first try and there aren't so many exceptions that its impossible to play.
The LOTR tie-in isn't bad. Purists will probably be upset at some of the piece rankings and, of course, the inclusion of Arwen as a major piece, but other than that the art is decent and the powers are mostly appropriate. Using LOTR to attract obsessed kids isn't a bad thing from a gaming standpoint.
Like other Stratego variants, this one offers two versions: the normal Stratego game and a version which grants "special powers" to the various pieces. The basic version is very playable and easy for even fairly young children. The "special powers" version would require older players. Both versions are playable and balanced.
The most annoying part is the setup. Attaching all those stickers will take some time and might be best left as a task for older folks, as you only get one chance to put them on straight.
The LOTR tie-in isn't bad. Purists will probably be upset at some of the piece rankings and, of course, the inclusion of Arwen as a major piece, but other than that the art is decent and the powers are mostly appropriate. Using LOTR to attract obsessed kids isn't a bad thing from a gaming standpoint.
Like other Stratego variants, this one offers two versions: the normal Stratego game and a version which grants "special powers" to the various pieces. The basic version is very playable and easy for even fairly young children. The "special powers" version would require older players. Both versions are playable and balanced.
The most annoying part is the setup. Attaching all those stickers will take some time and might be best left as a task for older folks, as you only get one chance to put them on straight.
36 of 48 people found the following review helpful
Cynical Marketing Trick; Better Games Available
30 Aug 2004
Durability:
Educational:
Fun:
Nothing better demonstrates the creativity-stifling impact of large American game companies on the game market than "Stratego: Lord of the Rings".
Lord of the Rings has, unlike the Harry Potter series, inspired some truly excellent games, most notably the rich and subtle cooperative game by Reiner Knizia (one of the best games available on any topic) and the much simpler but still quite deep 2-player Stratego-like 'Confrontation' game (also by Reiner Knizia, more below), both of which, in addition to being excellent games in their own right, are also superbly 'themed': the Lord of the Rings feel and atmosphere comes through during play and one really feels involved in an adventure in Middle Earth. (The 'children's game', again by Knizia, is also worth a look for kids under 8.)
But this game is just junk. Not only is it inherently simplistic game with little to engage players given the amount of time it takes to play; but it also has absolutely nothing to do with the Lord of the Rings. This game 'theming' at its most cynical: basically just slapping pictures of characters from The Lord of the Rings on the pieces and supplying them with random values and poorly thought through "abilities".
More importantly, there is an excellent alternative that demonstrates what can be done when a classic game like Stratego is thoughtfully (as opposed to sloppily) adapted to a new theme. Reiner Knizia's "Lord of the Rings: The Confrontation" is a clever interpretation of the Lord of the Rings theme (with artwork by long-time Middle Earth contributor John Howe and a 'story line' that really resonates with the ringbearer's quest). The Confrontation comes out of the vibrant 'German' (really also French, British, and Italian) school of 'gamer's games'. Like many of these games, The Confrontation is very tightly balanced, so that only careful play can reliably win -- and careless play is always punished. Every move matters, so that play is always engaging; but the simple rules and engrossing theme keep the game from becoming sterile. Moreover, what makes this game really great is that it is accessible to all ages. Kids from 6 up can master it and win against adults. (And in a pinch, there are extra 'powers' included -- like Shadowfax or Palantir -- that can be used as handicaps.) And to top it all off: it plays quickly.
If you like Stratego and are looking for a truly excellent Lord of the Rings game, avoid "Stratego: Lord of the Rings" and get "Lord of the Rings: The Confrontation" instead!
Lord of the Rings has, unlike the Harry Potter series, inspired some truly excellent games, most notably the rich and subtle cooperative game by Reiner Knizia (one of the best games available on any topic) and the much simpler but still quite deep 2-player Stratego-like 'Confrontation' game (also by Reiner Knizia, more below), both of which, in addition to being excellent games in their own right, are also superbly 'themed': the Lord of the Rings feel and atmosphere comes through during play and one really feels involved in an adventure in Middle Earth. (The 'children's game', again by Knizia, is also worth a look for kids under 8.)
But this game is just junk. Not only is it inherently simplistic game with little to engage players given the amount of time it takes to play; but it also has absolutely nothing to do with the Lord of the Rings. This game 'theming' at its most cynical: basically just slapping pictures of characters from The Lord of the Rings on the pieces and supplying them with random values and poorly thought through "abilities".
More importantly, there is an excellent alternative that demonstrates what can be done when a classic game like Stratego is thoughtfully (as opposed to sloppily) adapted to a new theme. Reiner Knizia's "Lord of the Rings: The Confrontation" is a clever interpretation of the Lord of the Rings theme (with artwork by long-time Middle Earth contributor John Howe and a 'story line' that really resonates with the ringbearer's quest). The Confrontation comes out of the vibrant 'German' (really also French, British, and Italian) school of 'gamer's games'. Like many of these games, The Confrontation is very tightly balanced, so that only careful play can reliably win -- and careless play is always punished. Every move matters, so that play is always engaging; but the simple rules and engrossing theme keep the game from becoming sterile. Moreover, what makes this game really great is that it is accessible to all ages. Kids from 6 up can master it and win against adults. (And in a pinch, there are extra 'powers' included -- like Shadowfax or Palantir -- that can be used as handicaps.) And to top it all off: it plays quickly.
If you like Stratego and are looking for a truly excellent Lord of the Rings game, avoid "Stratego: Lord of the Rings" and get "Lord of the Rings: The Confrontation" instead!
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