Game Reviews

Named Best Word Game of 1997 by Games magazine, Fundex's A to Z game certainly runs the gamut of high-pressure alphabet fun. Each team is supplied with a plastic tray containing indentations for each letter of the alphabet, as well as a supply of transparent chips. Dice are rolled to select a timer setting (15 or 30 seconds) and a category from among 336 possibilities, such as Superheroes or Card Games. Set the timer and start covering letters on your board as you announce responses appropriate to the category--cover the A and B with chips by saying "Aquaman" and "Batman," for example. Fill your tray and win the game, but watch out: some rounds allow opposing teams to remove chips from your board. The A to Z game is a blast, but you may want to set up some house rules; for example, in the category Hard Liquor, would you allow bourbon, scotch, rye, and whiskey when the first three are all types of the fourth? --Tony Mason

Three levels of play make Tripoley fun for everyone. The three game boards are stacked concentrically so that all properties are visible. The deluxe version is played using all three boards (best suited for four to eight players). By removing the top board, the standard version is created (recommended for two to four players). The short version involves using only the bottom board. Players build their empires by buying properties and adding improvements (gas stations, shopping malls, and skyscrapers). However, shopping malls and skyscrapers can be added only once a player has "triopolized" a city by acquiring all of the properties for that particular city. Put your money where your mouth is and see how many cities you can "triopolize"! --Alison Golder