The London Game
Encyclopedia
The London Game is a British board game
based on the London Underground
in London
, England
.
The game was first released in 1972 by the game company Condor. The game was re-released in 1997 to celebrate 25 years of the game's existence with a new all-colour board, with new cards.
, Liverpool Street
, Kings Cross St. Pancras, Victoria and Waterloo
) before working your way around six other random stations in the central area, then returning to the terminal that you started from. However, the player has to navigate around certain things such as station blockages and hazard cards, as well as the mind of the other player.
Each player at the start gets dealt their six "station cards". These cards consist of all of the main stations on the central tube, reaching as far out as Wembley
, Arsenal
and Oval
.
Once the player has their cards, they can add two station blocks on any stations where two lines meet (indicated by a circle). The players use small purple counters to indicate this.
Once the player has done that, and chosen their main station to commence the game, it begins. There is a certain amount of strategy involved, as well as luck.
Players must move around the map to get along to their stations, so for example, if a player were at Lancaster Gate tube station
, and they rolled a two on the die, they could go to Notting Hill Gate
in the west or Bond Street
in the East.
Each time a player has to change lines (an inevitable outcome, considering the diversity geographically of the stations involved) they must pick up a "hazard card". There are roughly twenty types of hazard card, which say things like "You feel lonely. Join another player on the board" or "Forgot to buy gifts. Proceed to Oxford Circus
at once to visit Hamleys
". There are also other cards where you can send opponents wherever one may wish. Once you have carried out the card's instruction, you may proceed along the new line.
One of the main aims is to outfox the opponent. There are a large number of "Open/Close station" hazard cards, which allow the player to open one station and close another. By doing this, it is possible to block some players from moving, for example if they are located south of the river on the District Line
, by blocking off Earls Court
. Stations can be unblocked by rolling a six when within reach of a blocked station.
Once the winner has been decided, the rest of the players can continue if they wish just to see who finishes second, third, etc.
Board game
A board game is a game which involves counters or pieces being moved on a pre-marked surface or "board", according to a set of rules. Games may be based on pure strategy, chance or a mixture of the two, and usually have a goal which a player aims to achieve...
based on the London Underground
London Underground
The London Underground is a rapid transit system serving a large part of Greater London and some parts of Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and Essex in England...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
The game was first released in 1972 by the game company Condor. The game was re-released in 1997 to celebrate 25 years of the game's existence with a new all-colour board, with new cards.
The game
The aim of the game is to start at one of five major stations (PaddingtonPaddington station
Paddington railway station, also known as London Paddington, is a central London railway terminus and London Underground complex.The site is a historic one, having served as the London terminus of the Great Western Railway and its successors since 1838. Much of the current mainline station dates...
, Liverpool Street
Liverpool Street station
Liverpool Street railway station, also known as London Liverpool Street or simply Liverpool Street, is both a central London railway terminus and a connected London Underground station in the north-eastern corner of the City of London, England...
, Kings Cross St. Pancras, Victoria and Waterloo
Waterloo station
Waterloo station, also known as London Waterloo, is a central London railway terminus and London Underground complex. The station is owned and operated by Network Rail and is close to the South Bank of the River Thames, and in Travelcard Zone 1....
) before working your way around six other random stations in the central area, then returning to the terminal that you started from. However, the player has to navigate around certain things such as station blockages and hazard cards, as well as the mind of the other player.
Each player at the start gets dealt their six "station cards". These cards consist of all of the main stations on the central tube, reaching as far out as Wembley
Wembley Central station
Wembley Central is a Network Rail station served by London Underground Bakerloo Line, London Overground , Southern and a few London Midland services. It is located in the High Road of Wembley, northwest London...
, Arsenal
Arsenal tube station
Arsenal tube station is a London Underground station located in Highbury, London. It is on the Piccadilly Line, in Travelcard Zone 2, between Holloway Road and Finsbury Park. Originally known as Gillespie Road, it was renamed in 1932 after Arsenal Football Club, who at the time played at the nearby...
and Oval
Oval tube station
Oval tube station in Kennington is a station on the Northern line of the London Underground between Stockwell and Kennington stations. It is the only station on the Morden branch of the Northern line whose name begins with a vowel and is one of only two stations on the London Underground with only...
.
Once the player has their cards, they can add two station blocks on any stations where two lines meet (indicated by a circle). The players use small purple counters to indicate this.
Once the player has done that, and chosen their main station to commence the game, it begins. There is a certain amount of strategy involved, as well as luck.
Players must move around the map to get along to their stations, so for example, if a player were at Lancaster Gate tube station
Lancaster Gate tube station
Lancaster Gate is a London Underground station located on the Central Line near Lancaster Gate on Bayswater Road in Bayswater , to the north of Kensington Gardens. It is between Queensway and Marble Arch on the Central line and is in Travelcard Zone 1.-History:Lancaster Gate station was opened on...
, and they rolled a two on the die, they could go to Notting Hill Gate
Notting Hill Gate tube station
Notting Hill Gate tube station is a London Underground station in the street known as Notting Hill Gate. On the Central Line, it is between Holland Park to the west and Queensway to the east. On the District Line and Circle Line it is between High Street Kensington and Bayswater stations...
in the west or Bond Street
Bond Street tube station
Bond Street tube station is a London Underground station on Oxford Street, near the junction with New Bond Street. Note that the street-level entrances are approximately 200 metres west of New Bond Street itself...
in the East.
Each time a player has to change lines (an inevitable outcome, considering the diversity geographically of the stations involved) they must pick up a "hazard card". There are roughly twenty types of hazard card, which say things like "You feel lonely. Join another player on the board" or "Forgot to buy gifts. Proceed to Oxford Circus
Oxford Circus tube station
-External links:* ** ** * Plans of the station after the Victoria Line works , , *...
at once to visit Hamleys
Hamleys
Hamleys is one of the world's largest toy shops. Its flagship store is in Regent Street, London. Major stores worldwide are in Dublin, Dubai, Amman, Glasgow, Mumbai and Chennai....
". There are also other cards where you can send opponents wherever one may wish. Once you have carried out the card's instruction, you may proceed along the new line.
One of the main aims is to outfox the opponent. There are a large number of "Open/Close station" hazard cards, which allow the player to open one station and close another. By doing this, it is possible to block some players from moving, for example if they are located south of the river on the District Line
District Line
The District line is a line of the London Underground, coloured green on the Tube map. It is a "sub-surface" line, running through the central area in shallow cut-and-cover tunnels. It is the busiest of the sub-surface lines. Out of the 60 stations served, 25 are underground...
, by blocking off Earls Court
Earl's Court tube station
Earl's Court tube station is a London Underground station in Earls Court. The station is located between Earls Court Road and Warwick Road . It is on the boundary of Travelcard Zone 1 and 2 and is in both zones....
. Stations can be unblocked by rolling a six when within reach of a blocked station.
Once the winner has been decided, the rest of the players can continue if they wish just to see who finishes second, third, etc.