PLAYED FOR YOU

Barbarossa

Chin formed by Play Dough

When a parcel arrives with a game from the US, one is happy, if the game is a good, old game in a new guise one is even happier, and 14 years after its last presentation one can review it again!

With Barbarossa Klaus Teuber in 1988 caused a similar stir as the one in 1995 with Settlers. The game back then launched the category of creative and communication games and he was, albeit with some controversial debates, awarded his first “Spiel des Jaures” for it. Basically, Barbarossa is a game from the broad range of “Guess a Term” games, but the terms are made up from play dough. You choose terms from a list and write them down secretly, then you form two or three of those terms; not too easy and not too difficult, players should be able to guess them, but not at first glance. Then you roll the die and move along the event tiles and implement the one you land on – you are awarded points or gems and you can ask a player for a letter from his term or can ask as many questions as you like as long as you do not get “No” for an answer. If you get “No” you can either go on asking till you get another “No” or write down the solution for a sculpture and show it to the artist; he tells you correct or wrong; correct solutions are marked with an arrow. Only two arrows per sculpture are possible and both guesser and artist can score. If you use a curse chip you can ask for a letter out of turn or propose a solution. The game also offers rules for using terms of your own invention.

Barbarossa is still a good game, still creative and still a certain font of laughter, allusions, jibes and lots of fun. How do you knead a water fall?

Players: 3-4

Age: 12+

Time: 60+

Designer: Klaus Teuber

Artist: Bernd Wagenfeld

Price: ca. 25 Euro

Publisher: Mayfair 2011

Web: www.mayfairgames.com

Genre: Creative modelling game

Users: For children

Users: For families

Users: With friends

Users: For experts

Version: en

Rules: de en

In-game text: some

Comments:

Game of the Year 1988

New edition 2005 at Catan GmbH

Series: Klaus Teuber’s Classics

Still one of the best creative games

Compares to:

First game of this kind, basically all games on guessing terms based on constructions, e.g. Was Klotzt Du?

Other editions:

In German at Catan GmbH

Chance (pink): 0

Tactic (turquoise): 0

Strategy (blue): 0

Creativity (dark blue): 3

Knowledge (yellow): 0

Memory (orange): 0

Communication (red): 2

Interaction (brown): 1

Dexterity (green): 3

Action (dark green): 0