BibleMan Adventure Board Game, The

Subject: Math
Category: arithmetic
Ages: 4 to 7, 8 and up
# of players: 2 to 4
Time to play: 30 minutes
Mechanics/Game Type: Roll and move, pick up and deliver

Ratings (1 to 5)

Educational Value: 3
Gaming value: 3
Aesthetic value: 3
Price value: 4
Ease of play: 3
Younger adaptability: 5 (Game has two level design)

My comments: "Why is Bibleman listed under Math?" you ask. Though Christian values are integral to the game as you try to "rescue" kids and bring them to the church, the advanced game teaches great math skills. You roll and move 1 of 4 heroes (Bibleman, BibleGirl, Cypher, or Coats) around the board. When you land on the Docks, School, Refinery, Villain's Lair, Church, or BibleMan's Cave, you choose a villain card and do battle. In the basic game, you simply spin one of two spinners and if you land on the Bible icon you win--you pick an adventure card with a child that you have saved. In the advanced game, each hero and villain has a number next to 5 attributes (faith, love, truth, joy, patience, forgiveness for heroes; doubt, fear, lies, sorrow, rage, bitterness for villains.) You spin the U.N.I.C.E. spinner for the hero and the L.U.C.I. spinner for the villain to determine which attribute and what bonus will be used for the battle. Next you roll a red and blue die to determine the final sum for both the hero and the villain--whichever is higher wins. If the hero wins, s/he picks an adventure card and saves a child or gets armor enhancements for the next battle. You can see where all the math comes in! In either game, after collecting 6 saves, you drop the kids off at the church and then return to the BibleMan cave to win.

What is really great about this game is the 2-level design so that even younger gamers can enjoy it (my 4 y.o. has no trouble with it.) The board has an interesting elevated cardboard center with the spinners around which you place the standard playing board--interesting, yes, but the tabs on it keep the playing board from lying flat. My boys love battling the villains. Minimal reading is involved, and readers can read for non-readers without affecting the game play.

BoardGameGeek.com link to this game: http://www.boardgamegeek.com/game/19138