BoardGame Verdict
65

Risk is a classic wargame invented by Albert Lamorisse, first released by Parker Brothers in 1959. Players engage in strategy, diplomacy, conflict, and conquest, vying for global domination on a board depicting a political map of the world divided into 42 territories. The game involves recruiting new units, attacking, and regrouping to hold out against opponents.

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65

The Verdict

based on 12 reviews

Positive 0%
Mixed 0%
Negative 0%
Simple rules make it easy to learn and teach
Classic theme of global conquest and world domination
Encourages player interaction through alliances and diplomacy
Can be an enjoyable strategic game for families or with children
Holds historical importance as an early mainstream war game
Games are often excessively long and can become tedious
Heavily reliant on luck due to dice rolling, diminishing strategic depth
Player elimination can lead to some participants being inactive for long periods
Lack of meaningful decisions and perceived strategic depth, sometimes reducing to a grind
80
BoardGameBollocks, BoardGameBollocksVideo

Despite its archaic mechanics and perceived unfairness, the reviewer believes Risk still offers enjoyable social interaction and dice-chucking fun, urging viewers to ignore its critics and try it for themselves.

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80
Board Game TipsArticleTop List

“Risk is a classic board game known for its global war theme and mass appeal. It offers a blend of strategy, luck, and diplomacy, making it one of the most popular war games in the world.”

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80
Punchboard PartyVideo

Despite acknowledging Risk as an archaic game with some flaws, the reviewer highly recommends it for its foundational role in war gaming and the fun, social experience it provides through dice-chucking and strategic banter.

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75
BoardGameDave, BoardGameDaveVideo

The reviewer considers the 2015 Hasbro version of Risk to be a generally decent and tolerable game that provides entertainment, particularly for casual players. Despite some low-quality components like the cards, other elements such as the cannon pieces and rulebook were noted to be of good quality.

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75
Co-op Board Games, Ronny AlexanderArticle

“The review highlights Risk as a classic strategy game that offers high replayability, strategic depth, and social interaction through negotiation, making it ideal for groups who enjoy long, tactical challenges, despite its complexity and potential for lengthy gameplay.”

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70
Zatu Games, Martin LockettArticle

“Some may be frustrated by its long playing time and reliance on random elements but it is still much loved and held in nostalgic affection. To return to my Strictly analogy, this old entertainer has seen some changes, but it can still show the youngsters a trick or two.”

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70
Tabletop Toby, Tabletop TobyVideo

Tabletop Toby acknowledges that Risk is an archaic game with flaws but concludes that it still provides a couple of hours of enjoyable dice-rolling and social banter, recommending that viewers give it a try despite its dated mechanics.

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65
Board Game Museum, Board Game MuseumVideo

This video provides a comprehensive tutorial on how to play the classic board game Risk, detailing gameplay mechanics such as dice rolling, combat resolution, territory control, and the use of reinforcement cards.

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60
Bad At BoardgamesVideo

The reviewer likely discussed the inherent challenges and potential frustrations of playing Risk, highlighting aspects such as its lengthy playtime and significant reliance on dice rolls, which can often lead to unpredictable outcomes and player elimination.

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60
Board Game Plays, BoardGameBollocksVideo

The reviewer describes Risk as an archaic and unfair game with some notable flaws, such as insufficient pieces and unbalanced combat, yet ultimately recommends trying it for its historical significance in popularizing world domination board games and the engaging social interactions it fosters among players.

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45
Board Game Quest, Ivhan RusliArticle

“Board Game Quest found that classic Risk, despite being a common entry point to area control games, ultimately felt pointless due to its heavy reliance on dice rolls and extended playtime.”

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30
Tabletop Bellhop, Moe TousignantVideo

The reviewer expresses a strong dislike for the original Risk board game, stating they are not a fan, though they highly recommend Risk Legacy.

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