We have never heard of the globe-trotting adventure TV game show Race Across the World before or the board game of the same name. But thanks to BBC iPlayer I was able to watch the show to see what it was about before we started playing the board game based on the show. If like me, you haven’t seen the show it really is a race across the world and it is not as easy as you would think. Travellers are in pairs, and they have to race across the world using any route that they like, whilst stopping at checkpoints along the way, but there is a catch – they cannot take any flights, it is travel by road, rail or boat, and they have no use of a smartphone or their bankcards, no Google Maps and only cash equalling the price of the airfare to their final destination, extra cash must be earned by taking on local jobs as they go.
The Race Across the World board game is a globe-trotting adventure game based on the BBC television show. It is a game for 2-6 players, aged 8+, where the first to reach their final destination is the winner. The game has a double-sided game board so you can play the game from London to Singapore, as in series one of the TV show, or from Mexico City to Ushuaia (Argentina), as in series two of the TV show.
In the box:
- Double-sided gameboard
- Pack of money: 50x £10, 50x £20, 50x £50 and 50x £100
- 4x 6-sided dice
- 62x Chance Cards
- 18x Job Cards
- 20x Accommodation Cards
- 9x Travel Companion Cards
- 6x Playing Pawns
- Instructions
To set up the game, place the game board in the centre of the table. Use London to Singapore for a longer game and Mexico City to Ushuaia (Argentina) for a shorter game. Each player choses a coloured playing pawn. Each player receives £900 in cash: 5x £100, 5x £50, 5x £20 and 5x £10. Each player randomly selects a travel companion from the travel companion cards. Place the Accommodation, Chance, and Job cards onto the allotted spaces on the gameboard.
To play, first the starting player has to be decided. Sorry kids, the youngest doesn’t get to start this time – the person whose birthday is coming up next does (a great way to decide and means the same player doesn’t always get to start). To start, each player selects the route they want to travel and pays the appropriate fare (this is also done at each checkpoint reached). Roll the corresponding-coloured dice for the selected mode of transportation to see how far they have travelled. If you land on Chance, pick up a Chance card and follow the instructions. If you land on an Accommodation space, remember to pick up an accommodation card. If you are running out of cash, go to a Job space to earn some more cash (if you run out of money you must go backwards to the nearest Job space to earn some more). You need to work your way around the board, stopping at the checkpoints and try to make it to your final destination before the other players.
Overall, Race Across the World is a really fun family game. It is a game of chance, luck and logic and you don’t just rely on your own skills, you have to take into account the positives and negatives of your companion (they are described on your companion card) as they can help or hinder your progress around the board.
The game is very easy to set up, the rules are easy to understand, and the gameplay is lots of fun using various methods of travel (boat, bus, train or walking). Travelling costs money but you do the chance to earn more cash along the way to supplement your initial £900 starting money.
Race Across the World is a really fast-paced competitive game where you have to pick the best route across the board, the quickest way (more expensive) isn’t always the best way, but the cheapest way can be slow but not necessarily the worst option. You have to earn money along your route by getting jobs to pay for travel and there are plenty of obstacles in the way to slow down your progress.
An enjoyable globe-trotting strategy adventure game that we, adults and children, have all enjoyed and have enjoyed playing several times now (it is fast becoming one of our favourite games).
We really like the idea of the double-sided board for short or longer games, this makes the game much more interesting and playable.
For a TV show board game, it is excellent (and after watching the television series the board game is very close to it).
With Christmas coming up, Race Across the World would be an excellent gift and a perfect family game this festive season.
Rating: 5/5
RRP: £24.99
For more information, visit www.johnadams.co.uk. Available to buy from Amazon here.
