Dungeon!

Dungeon! has to be one of the first games that, as a child, really captured my imagination. I was still too young to really play full-blown Dungeons & Dragons, so this was the closest I could come. It was something of a gateway drug to me because, after getting a taste of being a dungeon-delving hero, I somehow pulled myself up by my boot-straps and started reading all the big words in the Player's Handbook!





Years (and many D&D sessions) later, I found myself coming back to Dungeon! I don't really mean to seem so enthusiastic but, as you'll note on the box cover, the exclamation pointis di rigeur. Yes, being a grown-up with my play time at a serious premium, I can still get lost in a quick, light game of Dungeon!

As you can also see from the box cover, the graphic design of the game is quite excellent. I like stuff that is more stylized because it leaves more to the player's imagination-- something important in board games, I assert. This attention to art carries itself through the entire game, from the cards to the pawns, to the game board itself. Everything is so evocative that the visuals bleed smoothly into your imagination, essentially existing in two places at once. Clearly, I have a problem staying away from this game.

To summarize, each player (four is probably best) chooses a hero. Each hero employs different strengths and weaknesses as they attempt to slay monsters and take their treasures. They've got the classics: Warriors, Elves, Dwarfs, Wizards, Thieves, and Palladins-- all of whose powers and failings are as you might except from such professions. There is a chance your hero might die, especially since he or she only has three states to track his or her health: Healthy, Wounded, and Dead.

Dead, by the way, is the worst.

Players can move their pawns throughout the dungeon, from areas where monsters are easy and the treasures are less interesting to areas where the monsters are tougher and tougher, which equally compelling treasures. As you go from chamber to chamber, the monsters are revealed. Different hero types are more or less successful at tackling the various monsters, while others may be completely out of a particular hero's league.

That being said, each hero type has different victory conditions. Weaker character types, like the thief or elf, must subsist on lower-level loot, whereas wizards and warrior would be wasting their time with such paltry loot. Imagine a wizard fighting goblins-- it would be an abomination! That doesn't mean the "weaker" characters are less exciting to play. The thief, for example, can very profitably steal from other players... but could eke out a living killing lower-level creatures.

Of course, the dungeon has some treasure that can not only add to the player's coffers, but also increase their powers-- help them use secret doors, see the contents of a room before they enter, or even help fight monsters. The +2 sword is the item to get-- though wizards can't use swords.

The Review
The Game Mechanics
For a game so many variables, you'd imagine that one or more of the game mechanics would be somehow unbalanced or broken... but everything seems to work together very nicely. I've played games with a wide variety of classes and they've all come out feeling pretty balanced. If you're still wondering "How do I win?" the answer is quite simple: get back to the starting location first, with enough gold to meet your class requirement.

The Play
This is a fun game to play with others, because all the hidden information becomes common knowledge as soon as a card is flipped. Everyone can laugh at the sad little rats just before they're pummeled and cringe when someone steps into a room with the Bone Dragon. Don't let it be you! There are also rules and instances where players can collaborate, such as helping to take down a difficult monster.

The Parts
As I stated earlier, the artistic direction on the game is good enough to stir your imagination without presenting the full picture-- generally the best spot to be in! The cards and board are well laid-out, colorful, and in the spirit of the milieu. In my version of the game, there were just plain pawns-- which I quickly replaced with plastic figurines from some other game. The rule book is well thought out and, most importantly, appears to cover all the situations you'll need to resolve.

Final Notes
If you can get them past the geeky milieu, your friends are sure to have a good time. There is enough depth and variety to satisfy almost anyone-- and allow them to live out their fantasy. He or she might even develop a taste for troll blood! Of all the games I've ever played, this is the one I always try to have close at hand. Sadly, it is out-of-print-- but, as with most things, you'll generally be able to find it on eBay.

Props go out to Gary Gygax, recently deceased, who helped design it and usher in the era of role-playing games.