LOGISTA Game

Overview from LOGISTA

LOGISTA is a family game for 2-8 players aged 8 years and above. Not only is LOGISTA a game for entertainment, but also teaches Geography, Co-ordination, Money Skills and Business and Communication Skills. The basic idea of the game is to get from the destination you start from to the destination you are going to as quickly as possible. By taking the shortest route with the least possible penalties so that you become the richest player and the final winner of the game.

Overall rating: (4.5) / 5

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Review

The LOGISTA game arrived in a plastic tube, similar to a time capsule. You unscrew the capsule and take all the pieces out. We did a quick check to make sure everything was there and indeed it was! Right down to the timer!

The game is played on a laminated paper board. It is tough and appears to be able to stand heavy use. It is also wipe clean so great if you are out on the road with it. The playing pieces are cones (the game is heavily by roads, given the nature of the game!) and you can have up to 8 players. We tried it with just 2 to begin and had a good laugh.

You are encouraged by the creator, trucker John Caesar, to use your imagination and so we did - our playing pieces were trucks and the trips were full loads of pallets!

The objective of the game is to make the most money. You start in London, taking a card with an unknown destination. it could be a 'short' run to Bristol or it could be to the highlands of Scotland. Once you get to your destination, you pick up another card from that location and that tells you your next destination. And so on and so forth.

The game differs to other board games in the sense that it is timed. You play against the clock - we played an open game until we started to go back to the same destinations regularly, then we set the timer on for 10 minutes. Then the race was on to complete the current destination before the end to get the credit!

You would assume that the more trips you do, the more money you would earn. That's not the case! I did four more trips than my partner yet she won! I landed on the service station cards several time which penalised my as much as £20 for some food! Not to mention the Working Time Regulations resulting in me missing turns! I also landed on speed camera cards though was happy to pick up a card that read 'The speed camera has been vandalised. Move on'!

LOGISTA's Target Audience

So that's a bit about the game. But who is it aimed at? John sent us an article from Peterborough Today which explained that the local college is using it as an educational tool. I personally think that the game would suit anyone who has an interest in trucking, driving or roads. I could see an 8 year old enjoying this and an 80 year old enjoying it. The rules are simple and easy to follow.

LOGISTA Good Points

• Easy to set up
• Easy to follow the rules
• Durable board which is expected to last for a long time
• Realistic game
• All pieces needed to play the game are included - even the battery for the timer
• Novel capsule case for the game
• Quirky 'service station' and 'speed camera' cards

LOGISTA Bad Points

• The dice only allows a maximum of 3 moves which slows the game down. London to Scotland moving 1 space at a time can feel like a long time!
• The debit cards didn't allow us enough room to write all the credits and debits. We used a piece of A5 paper and filled it in half an hour. We would have preferred to have seen LOGISTA money similar to Monopoly money.
• We would have liked to see playing pieces resemble (for example) trucks. Though this would have limited the imagination, it may have added more of a wow factor.

LOGISTA Summary

Overall this game is thoroughly entertaining. Yes it has a few negatives but nothing that would stop anyone enjoying this game. It is suited to anyone who has an interest in roads, haulage or logistics as it draws upon driving, planning and (the best bit) earning stacks of money!

We think that this game could go far. At less than £30 it is a bargain and well worth that, especially given the amount of times you would use it.

If this was given as a Birthday present or Christmas present, we think it would be well received, no matter how young (8 years +) or how old you are.

The Creator's Comments

Following publication of this review, the creator John Caesar emailed the following points:

• The 1/2/3 dice was chosen to slow the game down, I take your point about London - Scotland, but the majority of runs are shorter, therefore to have a ordinary dice you would probably reach your destination in 2 or 3 moves and miss the penalties along the way which would make the game boring.
• I am pleased you mentioned the Debit cards. The idea was when the debit/credit cards got full you would Add up the amounts in each column then wipe the card clean and put the total at the top of each column and start again. This will be pointed out when the rule book next goes to print.
I wanted the game to be modern and up to date which is why I went for the Debit/Credit cards along with the Services and Camera features.The playing pieces are to have Number Plate style stickers on them which will probably read Truck/Lorry/Van /Car/Bus/Tractor/Coach and Motorbike and should be included in the game shortly.

Web link: LOGISTA
Price: £29.95 excluding P&P (May 2006)
Payment: Cheque only