Monster Lab
Ages: Everyone 10+

I expected to give this game short shrift because we are not much into turn based fighting, but in trying to grasp it's somewhat complex plan I got sucked into it.

When you start out - you are being instructed by Professor Fuseless, who sounds a bit like Boris Badenough. You fight body parts of monsters - head two arms, torso and two legs. These five units have two actions each - defense and offense. When you pick a unit and an action - one or more pieces on your opponents body may light up and is the targeted area. As with turn based fighting, you have all the time to decide, and then there are HP and recharging to consider.

But where is the Monster Lab? After your first battle, Professor Fuseless takes you to his lab and instructs you on how to make your own monster using a monster template and pieces you have collected from decimating your opponents. And that is not all - The parts come in 3 flavors - Mechanical which trumps Biological which trumps Alchemical which trumps Mechanical.

The scenery is fanciful and storybook like, the lab is a wild combination of eerie lights, strange equipment, Van de Graff generators and the like. There is a modicum of story with an evil mustache twirling baron and a thankful mayor and a visitor to search out.

There are many facets to the game - you can see how I was pulled into it. A clever and unusual game for kids and adults alike.

Fun Factor: Continues to be engaging
Female Factor: Not so far
Player Friendly: Good instruction and excellent manual

Reviewed by: Editor - 11/08