PUT MONEY ASIDE by Arnau Jess

 

PUT MONEY ASIDE by Arnau Jess for ZX Spectrum 48K

   This time we welcome a board game for our beloved Spectrum. Arnau Jess wants to entertain us during those idle hours that... ahem, unfortunately no one has anymore. Joking aside, he tells us that it is a game based on the hugely famous Game of the Goose.

   As it is our organisation's duty to spread Crap Games as well as to educate people about all human, animal and mineral knowledge, I would like to share one of the most interesting theories about the origin of this game:

"It is believed that the game was created by the Knights Templar, members of the Order of the Temple, one of the most powerful Christian military orders of the Middle Ages. These warrior monks dedicated themselves to defending Christian pilgrims traveling to holy sites such as Jerusalem, Rome, and Santiago de Compostela.

Some interpret the Game of the Goose as an encoded map or guide to the French Route of El Camino de Santiago and back. It’s possible that, for the Templars, the game was more than just entertainment - since their rules forbade dice games, they may have viewed it as a hieroglyphic system. In this system, the symbols and their meanings were understood by the entire order, serving as a secret map to reach Santiago." - several online sources.

   Although the programme's title is in English, the rest of the game is in Spanish. After the loading screen displaying a gold coin, we receive instructions on how to start playing:

Each player starts with $5,000.

This game is best played with two players.

The first player to reach zero loses.

The concept of the game is similar to that of the Game of Goose.

The board has 12 squares.

Press a key to start.

   Having read the instructions, we are plagued by doubt. What type of dollars are we talking about?

   Following heated discussions involving threats of ballistic potato chip launches, the editorial team (who are also responsible for cleaning and gardening) has compiled a list of the most likely currencies:

Surinamese dollar

Namibian dollar

Cook Islands dollar

Brunei dollar

Trinidad and Tobago dollar

Barbadian dollar

   We hope to hear soon which of these currencies the game uses.

   Play.

   In turn, each player will roll the dice, and the result will determine how far we move on the board. When we reach a square, the game will inform us of the various things that can happen there. We may win or lose money, nothing may happen, or we may land on a square with a penalty or prize. We may also be robbed by taxes, receive donations, place bets or have our goods stolen. This continues until one player is completely ruined and loses the game.

   I agree with the author that ideally the game should be played between two people; playing alone is boring, but playing with someone else is great fun.

Inevitable:

"Money, money, money
Must be funny
In the rich man's world
Money, money, money
Always sunny
In the rich man's world
Ah-ha
All the things I could do
If I had a little money
It's a rich man's world
It's a rich man's world"

-  Björn Ulvaeus & Benny Andersson

   Having gathered all the money: An excellent board game! Just like The Game of the Goose, it's all down to chance (there's no strategy) but that doesn't make it any less entertaining. It would be nice if it were more visually appealing, and if there were something on the board to indicate where we are. But we don't want to stray too far from the Crap level, do we?

Scrambled Smile: 6/10

Broccoli and Squid Yoghourt: 3/10

Deep Fried Ice Cream: 4/10

Strawberry Monosodium Glutamate: 9/10

Affable Hot Chocolate Sauce: 5/10