"The Return of "Dungeon!"" Topic

Back from the ancient days of 1975, and still written with an exclamation point to remind you it's exciting, Hasbro/WotC has reissued the old Dungeon! boardgame/dungeon crawl.

link

Although it seems to have been released in October of 2012, I just now saw it at my local Barnes & Noble.
At $20 USD, it's a reasonable price for a simple family game.
Alas, reading reviews (there's a great one titled "Dungeon- a Detailed Review" on the BGG link), it appears that the new components are a mixed bag. My old copy (actually "The New Dungeon!" circa 1986) has plastic figures (Ral Partha's D&D adventurers) and character cards with silly names— "Floyd the Warrior," because nothing says heroism and adventure like the name Floyd. The new version has abandoned these for cardboard stand ups with generic heroes (not that Floyd and crew really weren't generic, too).
On the other hand, the card art seems to be a little better and the board and card colors a tad less garish.

Not sure I'll bother to pick this up; the rules seem pretty much the same (though a few simple solo scenarios have been added, which is interesting), and my old game is still perfectly serviceable. But I thought some with nostalgia or younger gamers in the family might want to give it a shot.

My one recommendation to improve the game is true for the old and new version— find some way to create player interaction. You could go mean— allow backstabbing and/or item theft— or positive— allow cooperation (not quite sure how to work that out)— but it needs something.

All in all, though, I'm glad to see it back.

I have no idea what happened to my copy of the original "Dungeon." I loved the game and even got my wife to play it too. I can't believe I would have gotten rid of it for any reason. Nevertheless, it's gone.

Anyway, I bought the new edition, and like others I prefer the style of the earlier editions. Nevertheless, I'm glad to see it back.

What a classic! And only $20 USD makes this a bargain for a fine family game. If it had included figures, like the FFG games it would have been priced well above $50. USD My niece and nephew played to death a copy I gave them years ago.

I still have my '81 version!
Haven't played it in years…

My board gaming group tried this one out a few weeks ago.

The components are adequate. The advantage to the standees as opposed to plastic figures or pawns is that they come apart and thus the box can be very slim; an advantage in my house already bursting at the seams with games.

Game play is simple and quick. None of us had played the original game so it was brand new to all. We were playing is few minutes and had light-hearted fun doing so. It has earned a place in our inventory. I'm sure it will be laid out on the table when we are braindead from work and need something uncomplicated to relax.

I lost my '81 version sometime in the 1990s. I recall it being a nice gateway for D&D for newbies. Not sure I'd buy it again but I'd sure give it a whirl one more time.

I used to love that game, I might have to see if I can get hold of a copy, my kids would love it!