A blast from the past is giving family game night some refreshing energy. The appropriately titled This Game is Bonkers! is a thrill to play and will surely have competitive families on the edge of their seats.
From Winning Moves Games, This Game is Bonkers! is a re-release of the classic 1978 game and the box looks like it would be in good company next to a lava lamp and a shag carpet. According to the box, “It’s Never the Same Game Twice,” and once players get a feel for the game, it’s easy to see why.
The object of the game is to be the first player to get 12 points. As players make their way around the board as many times as it takes, challenge presents itself in the form of Track Cards. These cards are simple enough in their instructions, directing players to either move back or forward according to however many spots are on the card. The Track Cards continue to have a presence in the game as players will take from the stack in the box to cover the board in a zany, mishmash of directions.
The game comes ready to play with the board, two dice, and score pieces for each of the four players, though the game can also be played as a duo. Scoring and progress through the game board are directed through the numerous Track Cards that can send a player backward or forward on depending on where they land after a dice roll. The Track Cards are shuffled at the start of each game, adding a level of unpredictability that sucks players in.
There are several Lose and Score spaces on the board that cause players to gain or lose points throughout the game. The cardboard scoreboard definitely comes in handy and keeps players aware of their die rolls as it’s easy to fall behind other players fairly quickly through no fault of their own. It’s difficult to label This Game is Bonkers! as solely a game of pure chance or one of strategy, as both come into play. The game is left up to chance when it comes to the roll of a die, but players can be smart about where they place Track Cards in order to slow down other opponents or help themselves to score.
This Game is Bonkers! is a fun, low-intensity game for that’s easy to learn and even easier to play. This game proves that throwbacks can have a long shelf life. Parents and grade-school kids can get used to more than a few nights and weekends spent trying to get ahead of one another and all of the competition that comes with it.
