Award-Winning Jurassic Wars
CHANDLERS FORD. Jurassic Wars, the dinosaur combat game from Dice Maestro, has won Best Board Game in the annual Toy Talk Awards. The awards are based on feedback from an independent consumer panel, including families, who test the toys and games.
"Dinosaurs are a natural for a combat game, so it’s hardly surprising that Jurassic Wars emerged triumphant in our Board and Card Games category," explained David Smith, editor of online magazine Toy Talk. "A clever combination of Top Trumps style cards and combat dice, with great dino imagery and a mixture of luck and skill, grabs the attention right away."
“We are delighted to be recognized by Toy Talk,” commented Antony Brown, co-founder of Dice Maestro. “It is especially pleasing that the judging process involves ‘hands-on’
The game is simple but compelling. The Dinocards, which depict 20 different dinosaurs using stunning computer graphics, are dealt; the Combat cards, which can influence the outcome of a battle, are shared out; and the Timeline, which acts like trumps in a traditional card game, is set.
Carefully choosing which cards to play and when, players engage in head-to-head battles with their opponents’ dinosaurs. The special combat dice are rolled and each battle progresses with the dinosaurs amassing hit points until one is eliminated. The game continues until all players but one have lost their dinosaurs in combat.
Antony added: “The rule in Jurassic Wars is to survive. One by one the dinosaurs are defeated. One by one the players are eliminated. Only one will be left standing.”
The game also has educational benefits and is likely to stimulate further interest in dinosaurs. “Although Jurassic Wars features some of the most familiar dinosaurs, it includes representatives of less well known dinosaur genera, animals such as the bizarre Amargasaurus from South America,” explained Mike Walley of EverythingDinosaur.com, a dinosaur information and retail website, which also thoroughly tests all the products its sells. “By playing the game children can gain an understanding of the extraordinary diversity of the dinosaurs. It is also pleasing to see that a pronunciation guide is provided for every Dinocard; that attention to detail was noted by our product testers and is bound to be appreciated by mums and dads.”
Parents will also be pleased to learn that the game has tremendous play value. “The basic game is a knockout but the rules for different game versions, including point-scoring games such as Jurassic Wars Whist, are published on the Dice Maestro website,” Antony said. “More are being added all the time. This greatly enhances the appeal and longevity of the game.”
A whole set of Jurassic Wars expansion packs that introduce new dinosaurs, combat cards and play mechanisms has already been developed and tested. The packs are planned for release in 2010 and beyond. “Jurassic Wars is more than just a game – it’s more like a game system,” Antony explained. “We believe Jurassic Wars has the potential to become a classic brand in the toy and game market. Winning the Toy Talk award is testament to its potential.”
Jurassic Wars is the latest game in the innovative Dice Maestro format, which aims to provide the conceptual depth and interplay of board games but uses only specialty dice and cards. The games are played in their boxes so they can be played virtually anywhere including at school, on holiday and on the move as well as at home. The games are also easy to learn and complete quickly, ideal for modern lifestyles.
Dice Maestro games are made entirely in the UK and maximize the amount of recyclable materials. In addition, 5% of profits are donated to a relevant charity. For Jurassic Wars the selected charities are Make-A-Wish Foundation and Naomi House Children’s Hospice.
Jurassic Wars retails for £10.99 and is available on the web and from toy and game shops. For further information visit www.dicemaestro.com
ENDS
IMAGES
High quality images of the game box, its components and of the designers are available.
CONTACTS
Dice Maestro. Antony M. Brown, director. Tel: 023 8026 1484.
Web: www.dicemaestro.com
ToyTalk. David Smith, editor. Tel: 01244 679103.
Web: www.toytalk.co.uk
EverythingDinosaur. Mike Walley. Tele: 01606 841068
Web: www.everythingdinosaur.com
