As the year draws to its cold, leaf-covered end. We're left asking if there'll be more next year. We know there'll be a Christmas special (and from clips spliced into an Ayoade remix, I can tell you that as far as the celebs concerned go... well, at least a couple are unbelievable big'uns)
The BBC posted an article yesterday on TV reboots, what with an impending return of Blockbusters, and it featured the line "Channel 4 have now ordered more episodes for 2019." Until Channel 4 themselves say it, I'm not jumping the gun but it's better than zero lines online saying it.
I also found a tweet reiterating the news but they wouldn't give up any sources
Good news the crystal maze has been renewed by c4 for a new series in 2019
— TV Reality 👁👁👁 #SAVEBBUK 👁👀👀👁 (@Tv_reality93) October 24, 2018
In regards to the remaining shows from series 1 (everything filmed in spring 2017), there are some left and they are due to be broadcast but when they'll be on is a mystery. Thanks to an on-demand service for the show's broadcaster in Australia, SBS, remaining teams include a team of midwives, the Ali family, and finally the Sasani family and friends who are listed as a group of police officers, so make up your own naff joke about being locked up. Also yes, Australia got some episodes before we did back in Britain.
The Crystal Maze Board game is finally out! Only a limited first initial production run has been released, I was able to find my copy on WH Smith Website to Click and Collect in store. The developer at Rascals emailed me and said this is one of the first sets to go on sale. So I have been lucky. The packaging is excellent, the box is heavy as it's so jam packed with Crystal Maze goodness, including awesome minature Crystals!. It is very well put together. I haven't played it yet and I am already impressed with the contents. Buzzing! Upon first inspection it looks as if all the games instructions are given to the Maze Master in the Maze Master booklet. All games are thoroughly explained. The Mystery, Mental, Physical and Skill games look fantastic. (I don't want to give too much away yet, that will ruin the surprise). Richard Ayoade's hand features suckers which pick up the large silver and gold tokens at the dome finale. They are also used in some of the games themselves. This is definitely a vast improvement from the original Maze game. It is multi-layered and multi-faceted, just like a Crystal itself. The mini-game cards are also reversible, and a pen is included, as well as traditional dice, beaker, and balls.
Front of the Box
The large board itself is reversible with Zone map/Crystal Dome. There is an app you can download for your phone for sound effects and game timer which is also very good. This can now be found for free on the app store, The Crystal Maze: Game Timer. I absolutely love it. Mumsie would be proud. Of course, if you remember I have the original Futuristic Timer Clock from the 1990's set itself, so that will be fun to use as well, maybe i'll throw some real Crystals into the mix. ;) Coupled with the app sound effects plugged into a big speaker. That's the Crystal Maze geek inside me! Anyhow, this is certainly one of the most innovative board games I have seen. This is sure to be a Christmas hit. Keep an eye out at WH Smith, John Lewis and Debenhams, more are being distributed soon. The game has just gone live on Debenhams and John Lewis websites today, but at the full price of £35. I got it at WH Smith on their website at a special discounted price of £27.99, but the RRP is £35. I will post a review in a few weeks after a few plays of the various fiendish and devious games. Here is my box opening.
Reverse Game Synopsis, Richard O'Brien's voice echoes from it!
Zone Map Main Board Game Play Area for Decks
A Word game
Futuristic, Medieval, Aztec, Industrial game Cards
Richard's hand with suckers, for the dome, and also for games
Minature plastic Crystals, great detail to them
Rule books (theres two, one for Maze Master, one general one)
Crystal Dome finale board to lay tokens to pick up
Video of a quick go at the Dome Round on my own to try it
Various riddle type games for each Zone, some offer lock ins!
With Christmas just around the corner (ok, two and a half months, but it'll pounce upon us in no time), the board game accompanying our favourite game show is making its way to shops. If you don't feel like searching the high street, however, it can be found at WHSmith online for £27.99.
To play it properly, you'll need a timer and there's an accompanying app to do just the job available on Google Play or Apples App Store
There's no games in the app itself, but it makes a great timer for not just the board game. For example, if you want to add some tension to doing the washing up or you want to make sure the kids brush their teeth for a full 2 mins.
Yesss!!!! Today we learned that our hopes had been fulfilled. A brand new Crystal Maze Live Experience is opening in London in Spring 2019, with 32 brand new games.
The all new, bigger Maze will also include a bar area and will be located minutes from Picadilly Circus Tube Station in Shaftesbury Avenue. I am very pleased, as the Manchester Maze was quite a trek for me and the original London Maze was quite small in comparison. Will we see Ocean Zone in this new London maze is what we are all asking ourselves? Apparently, the Manchester Maze was originally meant to have Ocean but this was switched to Industrial. However some Ocean Zone games remain. Let's hope so.
In other Crystal Maze news, the Brystal Maze Gromit is up for auction this evening at Aerospace Bristol. You can bid online. He is currently at £2,000 with 17 watchers. I'm rather jealous as I want him. The board game is also expected to hit shops this weekend. The tie in timer app is now live on Google Play and Apple Store.
** UPDATE 07/10/18: The Brystal Maze Gromit sold at auction for £15,500 for Bristol Children's Hospital. Secondly, I have just received a stock email alert, the first copies of the new Crystal Maze Board Game have just been made available on WH Smith website at a reduced price!!! I have already ordered!! **
