The Crystal Maze Board Game first glimpse! EXCLUSIVE

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!