Risk Classic Board Game

Risk Classic Board Game

I like Risk because, like chess, it requires you to think ahead to your next several while you plan both your offensive and defensive strategies. Your likelihood of victory is largely based on your foresight and strategic allocation of risk across your territories. It’s different from a lot of other board games in that one player’s moves and attacks (or lack thereof) requires that all the others adjust their strategy in response.

There are four ways to play Risk: classic, secret mission, classic for two players, and capital. While you can play with up to six people, that is probably one too many, as someone is likely to be knocked out within a couple of rounds. There is a version of classic Risk you can play with two people with a neutral “buffer” army, but it’s not nearly as exciting as playing with even one more person.

There isn’t much to say about the physical game itself other than that everything fits neatly in the box when you put away the game. The design of the box is sometimes an afterthought with board game manufacturers – this one actually keeps everything organized after you’ve opened it for the first time. I remember the war chests being made of plastic, but other than that, the board looks more or less as I remember it.

Risk is the game that got my son interested in board games. I love how we’re making memories that he will keep with him forever, even though he usually beats me when my “North America/Europe” strategy fails. I fondly recall playing Risk with my friends in middle and high school, and hope that he will discover the joy of playing games with friends as well. It makes me happy to know that he has found a game that doesn’t involve a screen.