Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)I won't go over the details of the game - please refer to digicasey's excellent in-depth review for the mechanics of how to play, and description of the package! I can only second the comments: it is an attractive, very well put-together game, made of sturdy material, and this well thought-out combination trivia/strategy game plays very well. I just downrate it a tad on the educational value bit: it does offer some strategy challenge, and it does test your reading comprehension, but it's limited to, well, one subject - HP & the Chamber of Secrets. Still a solid 4 star for me, as it does both those tasks very well.
I wanted to expand on who can play the game. Although explaining the rules does take a while, the actual playing is fairly easy. I (a, er, grownup, I guess :-) have played with my 7-year old kids, and they got it the first time we tried. There _is_ a bit of strategy involved (placing your "movers" most efficiently), but you can also play hapazardly if you don't want to be bothered, or can't quite figure it out, and the game still runs its course. It will still be fun and challenging because of the trivia questions that you still get to answer, which can also give a chance to catch up with a more "Napoleonic" opponent. If you do want to, or are able to, work the strategy, it will give you an edge, but you still have to be able to answer the trivia questions, which can even out the field. The game was fun for me, and it was fun for them. Pretty good.
My children can't really read yet, but I've read them the HP books, and they remember answers to the trivia questions as well if not better than I. The only drawback if you have non-readers playing the game, is that you have to be around to read the trivia questions for them. If you're a Harry Potter fan, that won't be too much of a chore (if you're not, but have at least read the book, it's still fun to go over the trivia.) There is a huge store of questions, and the limited sample we've covered so far was well chosen: the easy multiple choice questions were easy (what does Harry spots in petrified Hermione's hand: a) a piece of paper. b) Lockart's business card.), the harder ones were pretty challenging (Name the shop where Harry lands in Nokturn alley.) Casual acquaintances to the world of HP as well as beyond-hope addicts will find questions to fit their level of knowledge of the book.
Games can go fast, as a correct answer to a Snitch question will end the game, or they can drag on and on. The latter happened once to us, and my 7-year old lost interest after a while. No big deal, it's an easy game to stop and pick up later if you want, or just drop after you've had your fill of trivia huntin'.
Happy playing.
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Harry Potter Chamber of Secrets Trivia Game
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