Made for Trade (1984)

About this game

An educational game for 2 to 6 players, set in early America. Each player begins the game as an indentured servant, who must first earn his or her freedom, then collect a list of required items for day to day life. Items are obtained from various shops and are also bought and sold in the marketplace, in exchange for shillings or in trade for other items. Along the way, various events in history shake things up. Players visit the many different buildings in a colonial American town (tavern, inn, jail, church, etc.) and find ways to strip other players of their belongings and negotiate trade. When one player collects all the items on his or her list and ends the game, the player with the most assets becomes the winner. Rules contain 3 different levels of difficulty so that the game can be tailored to different age groups (Ages 8 and up, Ages 10 and up, and Ages 12 and up). The game was developed in cooperation with the Winterthur Museum.

Does it fit your group?

• Group size. Works with 2 to 6.
• Rules load. At 1.6/5 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.