Ringgeister (1992)

About this game

Game based on J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings. Played on a randomly assembled board composed of 12 octagonal and 11 square pieces, with one corner representing the hobbits' home and the other Mt. Doom. Players race to complete several lesser quests before being allowed to cast the One Ring into the fires of Mt. Doom, all while avoiding ringwraith, orc and Gollum tokens or moving Gandalf to help. Unlike the newer, much-heralded The Lord of the Rings game, this is not a cooperative quest, although all players do lose if a ringbearer is caught by a ringwraith.

Does it fit your group?

• Group size. Works with 2 to 4.
• Rules load. At 2.1/5 this is a mid-weight game — expect a proper rules explanation before you start.
• Age. The publisher suggests 10 and up. That rates the rules rather than the artwork, so judge the box yourself for younger players.