Heya friends, what's going on over there? Work is work for me. Don't have much down time so I have to keep these blogs short. The theme for the day is what board game do you think would be perfect for a videogame? Or rather, what board game could you adapt into a videogame that isn't as crappy as most board-game-to-console releases. In my book the greatest board game of all-time, Fireball Island, would make for a perfect videogame because it is filled with much awesomeness. What, you've never heard of this game? Have you been living in a cave?
Those in the know, like my brothers and friends, know how epic a game Milton Bradley's Fireball Island is. X-Entertainment loves the game and for good reason. It follows several traditional board game conventions, follow a path on the board, collect and item and be the first to finish the path. Along the way you can find shortcuts and your rivals can use bonus cards to slow you down. What makes this game far superior to every other board game is the addition of a 3D raised playing field. The paths on the island sloped and curved and allowed for the red marble "fireballs" to bowl players over.
Unfortunately Fireball Island never ranked high on Board Game Geek. I guess their standards were too high, or they were split on the criteria for the board game experience. After all, on a scale of 1-10, no game has ever topped an 8. Board games have been around for centuries and there isn't a 9 or a 10 among them? Please! Fireball Island is a 10 in my book.
At least the good people at RetroJunk ranks it as the #1 board game from the 80's. The themes of being an adventurer on a lost island, looking for the giant ruby of Vul-Kar and making it out before your rivals can steal the jewel is not only great for a board game but defines a good action movie, novel and even videogame.
The game industry settles for licensed adaptations of a board game and they are always slow and boring (think Jenga). I'd bring Fireball Island to life by combining that game with Drake's Fortune. Sure it could make for a great sequel but it could also make for an epic multiplayer adventure. Nathan Drake and his rivals all chasing the same treasure would be all the more intense in an island where enormous fireballs chase them through labyrinths and along narrow cliffs.
Throw in some giant snakes, lost tribes and plenty of booby traps and power ups and Drake's Fireball Island would become a hint! Don't you agree? What about you? Any favorite board games that you'd like to turn into a videogame?
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