Avalanche (1965)

About this game

Players take turns dropping their marbles down the channels of the game, trying to get as many marbles as possible to fall out the bottom. Impeding the motion of the marbles are several plastic gates. The gates catch the first marble that hits their top (subsequent marbles roll off) and swing back and forth when a marble hits their base. Using logic, players deduce which way the gates will move when they drop their marble, and try to make a move that results in the most marbles making it to the bottom of the game (or that blocks a potentially good move by their opponent).

Does it fit your group?

• Group size. Works with 2 to 6.
• Rules load. At 1.2/5 this is a light game — explain it in a few minutes, good for a table that has not played much.
• Age. The publisher suggests 8 and up. That rates the rules rather than the artwork, so judge the box yourself for younger players.