Merlin (1978)

About this game

Parker Brothers' Merlin was a hand held electronic game following in the footsteps of Simon, which had been introduced a year earlier by rival game company, Milton Bradley. Many of us who were kids in the seventies will remember its distinctive red plastic, telephone-shaped appearance. Although less colorful than Simon, Merlin featured six different games, namely tic-tac-toe, music machine, echo, blackjack 13, magic square, and secret number. It was even possible to save games and select your level of difficulty on a scale of 1-9. In 1999, Merlin became available once again on the internet as a free download for your PC.

Does it fit your group?

• Group size. Works with 1 to 2. It has a designed solo mode.
• Rules load. At 1.5/5 this is a light game — explain it in a few minutes, good for a table that has not played much.
• Age. The publisher suggests 7 and up. That rates the rules rather than the artwork, so judge the box yourself for younger players.