Reviewed!: Cthulu Dice

So I've been trying to write board game reviews but I'm quickly realizing how hard it is to write about something I'm actually happy with (format is a terrible kryptonite it seems). I decided I'll start by going with something small. I guess I have to start talking about something relevant then..... nertz.

Cthulhu Dice by Steve Jackson Games.

Picture unrelated... or is it?

So, This little number has a lot going for it. It is older but has:

a) not been out of print that I'm aware of since it was released and...

b) actually just got revamped in a larger format. So I don't feel so bad writing this because of the re-release.

One step away from the best snowman ever?

Play style

The entire game is this:

• Pick a target.
• Roll.
• Effect.
• Target rolls.
• Effect.
• Pass the die to the next player
• Lather rinse repeat until everyone loses their sanity (counters) or one person is left with theirs.

Everyone starts with three counters and loses (or can gain more) through play. Yes this is the game, and yes, it does go silly fast overall. By the time you're ready to move on you usually end up play 5ish rounds (about 10-15 minutes). It is a handy time waster for a short period.

Price

Cheaaaaap. When I picked up my normal copy it was $7.00 (Canadian). Considering the times it's been busted out, it was well well worth the investment. If you want to go fancy schmancy you can get the big one for $18.00 (again, Canadian). Yes the price almost triples, but you get silly bands of cthulhu instead of glass counters with it, and it's big enough you could hit people with it (extreme Cthulhu dice league pending.... CTHULU TO YOUR FACE!). Both come in a few different color sets so you have different options (it's also helpful if people don't want to pass dice around as much and bring their own to play with).

The only real criticism I have is that if you're playing with one die the turn order can get confused sometimes because of the target rolling. A token could remedy this. A minor gripe is the game doesn't come with a carrying case of any sort (even a felt bag would be good for those of us who don't have them randomly kicking around). All things considered, those are the most minor issues imaginable so I can't even really count them against it without feeling kind of like a jerk.

Overall
Cthulu dice is worth it, even if you get the pricey one. The two minor hiccups are severely overshadowed by the enjoyment of the game. It also works really well as a gateway game into other games, even though you shouldn't tell the people you're playing with that right away. There could be a villain laugh in there but I won't bother with it.