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Hobby Forum Index » Games - Board » [Review] Griddly Headz Baseball Game...
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| tomvasel at (no spam) gmail.com... |
 Posted: Thu Jul 31, 2008 12:47 am |
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Griddly Headz Baseball Game (Griddly Games, Inc., 2006 - No designer
credited) is a game about baseball - I think. Actually, I think that
someone molded the pieces, and then tried their hardest to get a game
out of it. I think the best comparison is to that of a silly "B"
movie that I might watch just to laugh. Griddly Headz is a rather bad
game, but it's so bad that it's funny; and while humor may not be
exactly what the designers intended, it is what it is.
The game doesn't really simulate baseball, as I doubt players are
running around the field whacking each other or declaring duels; and I
think that the actual physical part of the game, while fun, is more
like golf than baseball. It's a silly game, and I had fun while
playing it, but doubt that I could be tempted to pick it up again.
Kids who enjoy Parcheesi may find it funny, and the pieces are rather
good; but it just is too lucky and wild to have any real value.
Each player takes four regular players (known as "Scrappy"), one
pitcher ("Studdly Mann"), one catcher ("Mae") and two six-sided dice
of their color. All the figures are placed in the "Dugout" of that
player's color on the board. The board has a circular roll-and-move
track around it, and players place one Scrappy on the corner that
contains their color. Three decks of cards (Home Run, Foul Ball, and
Umpire) are shuffled and placed on the board, as well as some plastic
bats and plastic half-baseballs. Players are given a cardboard puzzle
of a baseball player - the Locker Room. One player is chosen to go
first, and then play begins.
On a player's turn, they roll both of their dice then consult the
board. If one or both dice total six, the player has the option of
moving another player from the dugout onto the track. However, a
player may only have three players moving on the track at any one
point. Otherwise, the player moves their players clockwise according
to the dice roll. They may use both dice for one figure or assign a
die to two different figures. A couple exceptions:
- Mae can move clockwise or counter-clockwise.
- Figures must follow the instructions on the square, except for Mae.
What happens then depends on what space the figures land.
- On a Foul Ball, Home Run, or Umpire card space, the player draws the
top card and follows the instructions; unless the card has the picture
of a baseball, in which case they may keep the card, using it when
needed. Cards cause a variety of effects, such as making a player
lose one of their uniform puzzle pieces, giving the player a "run", or
causing a figure to be ejected from the game. Cards can be good or
bad for the player.
- On a "Grand Slam" space, the player chooses an opponent. Both
players roll a die as fast as they can. The first player to get a "1"
receives one run.
- On a corner space of an opponent, the figure is sent back to their
own dugout.
- On a "Spring Training" space, the figure is trapped in Spring
Training camp until another figure is sent there, or until the space
is passed by another figure of that player's team.
- Some spaces move the player forward or back a number of spaces.
- On a "Bunt" space, the player challenges another in the game. Each
takes a bat and half-ball. Placing the balls on designated spots on
the board, each player attempts to hit their "ball" as close to the
pitcher's mound as possible, with the player who gets closer receiving
a run.
- Several spaces have "challenges"; on these spaces players challenge
another player, each rolling a single die. The object is to win the
best of 3 out of 5, or 4 out of 7, depending on the space. The loser
removes a piece of their uniform, has a figure sent back to the dugout
or is ejected from the game.
- If the figure lands on a space containing a figure from an opposing
team, the two players conduct a challenge. This occurs just like
above, although Studdly starts out with a one die advantage in these
rolls. Again, the losing player may lose uniform pieces or their
figure.
- It should be noted that Studdly will gain two runs in a challenge,
rather than one.
- Mae causes folks to lose two pieces of a uniform, rather than one in
challenges.
- Neither Studdly nor Mae can be ejected from the game if another
figure of that color is on the track.
The game continues until one player gets ten runs, at which point they
are the winner. However, if a player loses all twelve pieces of their
uniform, or if four of their figures have been eliminated from the
game, then they automatically lose.
Some comments on the game...
1.) Components: The whole line of games (there is football, hockey,
and racing, as well) seems to be based on the little Griddly Headz
figures. They are very funny looking and are made of good quality
plastic, as is the ball and bat. The dice are okay, if a little large
and bouncy; but at least they match the players' colors perfectly.
The board is an array of dazzling gaudiness, including a list of trash
talking terms that you can use (although they are distinctly
Canadian). The puzzle piece uniforms are neat looking, and the idea
is cool - until you use them. The first time you really have to press
to get the pieces out, after that the whole puzzle collapses every
time you pull a piece out. The cards are low quality with sharp
corners; but they don't see much use, so it doesn't matter too much.
There are two editions of the game, with the "special edition" coming
in a giant box. The family edition, however, is already a fairly
large, flat box; so I don't see the need to upgrade simply to have an
upraised board.
2.) Rules: The rulebook is composed of twelve pages of rules made up
of lists. The problem is that you will dance all over these twelve
pages, attempting to find the rules; the game seems to have lists of
how everything works in different locations - the flow is very off.
Other than that, the game play is simple - just roll the dice, and
then do the action on the square - teaching folks as you go.
3.) Dice: I can live with the "Sorry" aspect of the game, as players
attempt to roll a six to get a new figure on the board. And the game
fortunately has a mercy rule which basically allows a player to bring
someone out if they have no one else on the track. But really, the
dice rolling for the challenges is such a toss up that it can be
greatly annoying. Losing two players in a row from the game because
the other player happened to roll better than you is no result of
strategy - simply blind luck. Some folks might enjoy this - but know
what you are getting into here!
4.) Cards: The cards are even more luck-driven than the dice! Take
the Umpire cards, for instance. Forty percent of them are bad, forty
percent are good, and the other twenty percent affect a random
player. And since the card results give players runs, or eject their
people from the game, they are really like playing the lottery. It
can be very annoying and frustrating to lose/win because of a card
draw, and it's likely to happen.
5.) Bunting: By far, this is the best, most enjoyable part of the
game. Even though it's more similar to golfing than batting - it
doesn't make sense thematically at all - it's still fun to try to
slide the half-balls as close to the mound as possible. When I play
the game, I attempt to land my figures on this space as much as
possible, just because it's the most fun aspect included.
6.) Baseball: If you think baseball consists of: a bunch of ornery
people led by a "Ma Barker" type character running in circles and
beating the snot out of each other, trying to hit balls as close to
the mound as possible, and causing other players to lose pieces of
their uniform (oh, the jokes fly when this happens!), then the theme
fits right in. But pardon me while I shrug my shoulders and say,
"Huh?" I love baseball, but this game is NOT baseball.
7.) Fun Factor: The game is downright ridiculous; and when taken in
that manner - sort of a Mystery Science Theater 3000 manner, you can
have fun. We laugh at the bad rolls of players, the gradual
disappearance of uniforms, the negative aspect of Spring Training, and
the goofiness of the game in general. In short, the game is so bad
that you can't help but point and laugh.
Unfortunately, that means that I can't recommend this game to anyone,
really. Baseball fans need to run screaming; kids can find something
that has a little more substance, and anyone just looking for a laugh
may find it here; but there are better jokes elsewhere. The pieces
are for the most part fun-looking, and I plan on using them for
something else. Unless utter boredom strikes me, I won't play this
game again.
Tom Vasel
"Real men play board games"
www.thedicetower.com |
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