Scotland Yard
$39.99
Scotland Yard at a Glance
| Game Type Detective Theme Point to Point Movement Deduction Hidden Movement | Play Time 60 mins | Skill/Complexity (2 - 5) Light |
| Age 10+ | Publisher(s) Ravensburger | Published 1983 |
| Categories Family | Players 3 - 6 | Rules Manual Official Rules PDF |
| Our Rating 10/10 | Cost $39.99 |
About – Description
Scotland Yard the board game is suitable for the family and players aged 10 and over. This is a game where players who play as the police track down one player who is the criminal.
Based on the theme of London UK, the game was developed in 1983 by Manfred Burggraf, Dorothy Garrels, Wolf Hoermann, Fritz Ifland, Werner Scheerer and Werner Schlegel.
It is suitable for up to six players and takes around an hour to play.
Who’s it best suited for?
This board game is ideal for families as it is filled with excitement and intrigue as players have to seek out the criminal. It is ideal for those who enjoy strategy based games.
Skill – Complexity
As Scotland Yard the board game is suitable for families and children aged 10 and over, it is a relatively simple game to play.
It does have a slightly lower than average complexity level and that is because this is a game that requires tactics and strategy in order to play this pursuit-evasion game correctly.
Set Up – Playing Rules & Instructions
Included in the box is one board game, 6 player counters, 18 starting station cards, 125 fare tickets consisting of 54 taxi tickets, 43 bus tickets, 23 underground tickets and 5 black tickets. There are 2 double-move tickets and 1 travel log.
Set up can take up to 15 minutes. Players have to decide who will become Mr X (the criminal) and once chosen, the player will be given a colorless player counter, travel log, 4 taxi tickets, 3 bus tickets, 3 underground tickets, 2 double move tickets and black tickets that equal the number of detectives.
Each detective is given 1 colored counter, 10 taxi tickets, 8 bus tickets and 4 underground tickets.
To play the game, Mr X goes first and is then followed in a clockwise order by the detectives. When a move is made, players give up a travel ticket with Mr x noting down his moves in his travel log, the detectives are left to move their pieces around the board.
All players have to move by taxi, bus or underground. The type of transport they choose will determine the direction they move in. Every move requires the player to move to the next station.
Mr X makes the first move and notes down the number of his stop in his log, they then have to cover the number with the travel ticket they have used. This will give the detectives an idea of the mode of transport Mr X has used.
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Detectives then make their move using a travel ticket. Any used tickets are passed to Mr X. At the 3rd, 8th 13th and 18th rounds, Mr X has to reveal their position and at this time, they have to make a note of the stop and position their ticket on the note while keeping the colorless counter on the stop they have moved to. The detectives then have a chance to catch him as Mr X can start to move again in the next round.
The game ends with a detective landing on the Mr X location or if all escape routes are blocked around Mr X. Finally, if the detectives are no longer able to move or if Mr X evades them up to round 22, Mr X wins.
Versions – Editions
Throughout the years, the game has been released in a number of countries while a 20th Anniversary Special Edition was released in 2004.
Likes & Dislikes
- Great theme.
- Good use of mechanics including hidden movement.
- Nicely paced and some tenseness to the game.
- Interactive.
- Gateway game to more complex games.
- Difficulty does not seem balanced for Mr X or detectives with varied amount of players playing .
Players like the way in which the game has an individual aspect and a team aspect when playing as a detective while the intrigue and twists in the game, inject excitement.
Some players claimed that the game was difficult to play and some found that with 5 detectives, Mr X was always caught while with 3 detectives, Mr X always gets away.
Overall, this is a fast paced, thrilling game for all the family.
Final Thoughts
This is a game that brings joy to the whole family. The tactics and strategies required to play make it an exciting experience while its suitability for children helps them to get into playing board games.
A game full of intrigue and fun, it is a great way to pass the time.
