Review: The Climbers

A 3D abstract strategy game, The Climbers is a unique board game experience.  Read on for our full review!

Just the Facts:

Players: 2-5
Playing Time: 30-45 minutes
Age: 8 to Adult
Publisher: Strategic Space
MSRP: $49.95
Release: Q4 2008

Summary: The Climbers is a game with a simple set of rules, but one that requires creative thinking and strategy to master.  The randomized setup of this game gives it a high replay value, and makes it a strongly recommended purchase.

Rating:  

Photo by Daniel Danzer

The object of The Climbers is to race towards the top of a mountain, with victory going to the player furthest up at the end of the game.  Every game of The Climbers starts out with a setup phase, where 35 wooden blocks are randomly stacked to form a mountain.  The photo to the right demonstrates a typical setup phase.

It is not as easy as simply walking up the mountain, though.  The rules of The Climbers state that players may only move onto spaces of their pawn’s color or neutral gray spaces.  However, before moving, a player is allowed to pick up one of the 35 blocks and reposition it anywhere on the mountain.  Every block has a different color on each side, allowing players to rotate a block during its repositioning to make sure their color is facing up.  This results in players building their own path to the top.

During a single turn, players can make as many legal moves as possible.  A perfectly placed block can unlock a series of moves, allowing a pawn to move several levels up the mountain all in one turn.

There are just a few additional rules, as each player receives three one-time-use tools.  The first two are ladders of varying heights, allowing a player to move higher up the mountain than would normally be legal.  The final tool is a blocking stone, which when placed on any block, prevents that block from  being moved onto by any pawns, and prevents the block itself from being picked up and moved to another place on the mountain.  Blocking stones last an entire turn before they are removed from the game.

The game ends when all players can no longer move any higher up the mountain.  The player at the highest point is then declared the winner.

The Contents:

• 35 colored blocks
• 5 climber pawns
• 5 blocking stones
• 5 long ladders
• 5 short ladders
• 1 rule book

The physical contents of The Climbers are what sets this apart from most other games.  Every object in this game is made from solid wood;  there is no cheap plastic involved here.  The pieces are also vibrantly painted, making this a very eye-catching game.  Sometimes, convincing friends to try out a new game can be hard, but the first impression people get when looking at The Climbers is simply “I want to play that.”

Our Thoughts:
While this seems like a relatively simple concept, there is some truly deep strategy involved in this game.  The decision of which block to move, and how to reposition it, is a crucial one.  It requires players to think several turns ahead in order to make the right moves.  Also, there is some great strategic thinking involved in deciding when to use your ladders or blocking stone.  Do you deploy your ladders early to get the head start, or do you save them until the end for a game-changing maneuver?  Do you use your blocking stone to impede someone’s path, or do you use it to prevent other players from following in your tracks?

As mentioned before, the game is very aesthetically pleasing due to its simple yet vibrant design.  The wood pieces are quite sturdy, and the box itself is well-constructed.   The weight of the wooden blocks actually helps with the game, as it prevents pieces from being easily knocked over from a stiff breeze or a bump of the table.  In fact, this is a very fortunate quality, as you will find yourself leaving your chair very often to scout all sides of the mountain in search of that perfect piece.

If there is anything negative to say about this game, it is that players often find themselves just standing the entire game to keep an eye on how the mountain is shaping up.  This might prevent some from wanting to break out The Climbers if they just want to relax.

The rules are concise and easy to understand after one short reading.  There is also a section on optional rules, adding new elements to the game such as the ability to use ladders as bridges.  Little touches such as this help add to the replay value.

When it comes down to it, the reason The Climbers has received such a high rating today is that after you play this game, you will immediately want to play it again.  Between the randomized setup, varying strategies, and optional rules, The Climbers provides enough variety that you will not get bored easily.

Pros:

• Easy to learn
• Advanced strategy
• Sturdy construction
• High replay value

Cons:

• Hard to strategize without walking around the table

Where to Buy:
The Climbers is available online at Funagain Games for $29.99, or you can check your neighborhood’s fine local game store.

Disclaimer: The Modern Day Pirates were provided a complimentary review sample of this game.