Das Blaue Amulett (1986)

About this game

Das Blaue Amulett (The Blue Amulet) is a fairly simple boardgame in which the players take on the roles of princes trying to be the first to reach the Castle of Light to claim their inheritance. During the journey players must play the right cards from their limited hand to avoid obstacles placed before them by their opponents. Of course, having possession of the singular Blue Amulet allows a player to ignore many of these obstacles without needing the appropriate card. Players can also maneuver their pawns (through the use of movement cards) in such a way as to bump their opponents onto a path going in the wrong direction. The board is beautifully illustrated and the game won the Spiel des Jahres award for Most Beautiful Game in 1986. Das Blaue Amulett is the second game in Noris' Fantasy trilogy, with Die Drei Magier and Der Feuersalamander being the first and third.

Does it fit your group?

• Group size. Works with 2 to 4.
• Rules load. At 1.7/5 this is a light game — explain it in a few minutes, good for a table that has not played much.
• Age. The publisher suggests 10 and up. That rates the rules rather than the artwork, so judge the box yourself for younger players.