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A Series of Unfortunate Events: The Game is a point-and-click adventure game based on the Lemony Snicket book series and the 2004 film adaptation.
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The Board
A Series of Unfortunate Events: The Game is a board game by Z-Man Games. The game is based on the book series by Lemony Snicket. The game is for two to four players and takes about two hours to play. The game is recommended for ages ten and up. The game board is a map of the United States with locations from the book series. The object of the game is to be the first player to reach the End of the Story.
Setting up the Board
The game board for A Series of Unfortunate Events: The Game is double-sided. One side (shown below) is for a two-player game, while the other side is for a three- to four-player game.
To set up the board, first choose which side you will use, then find the side that says “2-4 players.” This is the side that will be used for a two-player game.
Each player will need their own playing piece, which can be any small object that can fit on the space shown below. It is recommended that each player have a different color playing piece so that it is easy to tell them apart.
Players will also need two six-sided dice (2d6), which are not included with the game.
To begin the game, each player places their playing piece on the start space of the track that corresponds to their color. The player who is farthest behind on their reading goes first, and play then proceeds clockwise around the table.
The Spaces
There are a total of ninety-nine spaces on the board, not counting the four corners. Seventy-eight of these are regular spaces, and the rest are special ones with unique effects.
The regular spaces are divided into six different colors, each with its own effects.
-Red: These squares represent traps. If you land on one of these, you must draw a card from the Trap deck and follow its instructions.
-Pink: These squares allow you to move forward or backward in the game. The number on the square indicates how many spaces you may move.
-Orange: These squares force you to answer a quiz question. If you answer correctly, you may move forward or backward in the game. The number on the square indicates how many spaces you may move.
-Yellow: These squares require you to pay money to the bank. The amount is shown on the square.
-Green: These squares let you earn money from the bank. The amount is shown on the square.
-Blue: These squares have no effect and can be considered safe spaces.
The Pieces
This game is best for 2-4 players and takes about 2 hours to play. You will need a regular deck of cards, a special die, and a chess set. The game board is set up like a chess board, with the cards representing the different pieces. The die is used to determine which piece moves where.
The Beads
The Beads is the first game in the A Series of Unfortunate Events: The Game. The objective of the game is to collect as many beads as possible before the end of the game. The player with the most beads at the end of the game wins.
There are three types of beads: red, green, and blue. Each type of bead has a different value. Red beads are worth 1 point, green beads are worth 2 points, and blue beads are worth 3 points.
To win The Beads, you will need to collect as many beads as possible before the end of the game. The player with the most beads at the end of the game wins.
The Cards
There are a total of 421 cards in the deck, each featuring a character, place, or object from the book series. The different card types are as follows:
-Character Cards (200): There are 50 different character cards, each featuring a different character from the books. Each character card has three different pieces of art, one for each of the three books in the series. For example, the card for Violet Baudelaire features her in a pilot’s outfit from The Austere Academy, a dress from The Ersatz Elevator, and climbing gear from The Vile Village.
-Place Cards (100): There are 25 different place cards, each featuring a different location from the books. Like the character cards, each place card has three pieces of art, one for each book in the series. For example, the card for Paltryville features the town’s grocery store from The Slippery Slope, Larry’s office from The Grim Grotto, and Mrs. Bass’ orphanage from The Vile Village.
-Object Cards (121): There are 121 object cards in the deck, each featuring an object that appears in one of the books. These can be anything from Count Olaf’s car to a batch of poisoned cookies. Each object card has only one piece of art.
The Dice
The dice are used to determine which spaces the player will move to on the board. The player will roll the dice and then consult the chart below to see how many spaces they will move.
-If the player rolls a 1, they will move 1 space forward.
-If the player rolls a 2, they will move 2 spaces forward.
-If the player rolls a 3, they will move 3 spaces forward.
-If the player rolls a 4, they will move 4 spaces backward.
-If the player rolls a 5, they will move 5 spaces forward.
-If the player rolls a 6, they will move 6 spaces forward.
The Cards
There are a lot of cards in the game, each with their own unique effects. You’ll have to carefully choose which cards to keep and which to get rid of. The goal is to have the fewest points at the end of the game, and the person with the most points loses. There are four suits: clubs, diamonds, hearts, and spades. There are also two jokers.
The Action Cards
The Action Cards are what make the game interesting and unique. They are used to attempt to thwart Count Olaf’s dastardly plans and can be played at any time, even on another player’s turn. Each card has a different function, so choose wisely!
There are four different types of Action Cards:
1. Challenge Cards – These cards are used to directly challenge Count Olaf’s latest scheme. If you think you can beat him at his own game, play a Challenge Card and find out!
2. Distraction Cards – These cards are used to distract Count Olaf and his minions, hopefully long enough for you to escape!
3. Mobility Cards – These cards allow you to move quickly and escape danger! Use them wisely, as they can be the difference between life and death.
4. Resource Cards – These cards represent the various items and allies you have at your disposal. Use them to your advantage and defeat Count Olaf!
The End Cards
These contain the ending instructions for the game, and must be read aloud before drawing the final card.
There are three possible endings to the game, depending on which of the three cards is drawn last:
-If you draw card 48, you win the game!
-If you draw card 49, you lose the game.
-If you draw card 50, everyone loses!
The Gameplay
The game is set up like a choose your own adventure book. You’re given a series of options and you have to choose what you want to do. There are multiple paths you can take and different things can happen depending on the choices you make. Some of the choices are good and will lead you to a good outcome, while others are bad and will lead to a bad outcome. You need to be careful with your choices because you could end up in a really bad situation if you’re not careful.
The First Turn
In A Series of Unfortunate Events: The Game, players will take on the role of one of the Baudelaire orphans, each with their own special ability. The game takes place over a series of rounds, with each round representing one of the books in the series. Players will take turns performing actions, such as moving around the game board, collecting items, and avoiding Count Olaf’s minions. At the end of each round, players will earn rewards based on their performance. The first player to collect all four rewards wins the game.
The Second Turn
Now that you have an inkling of what the game is about, let’s jump into a full playthrough. I’ll be playing as Violet. In the first turn, each player draws 6 cards from their deck and plays 3 of them.
On my second turn, I start by drawing 2 more cards from my deck, for a total hand size of 5. I then play 1 card, “Invent Something”, which allows me to either choose 2 cards from my hand or 1 card from the discard pile and put them in front of me. I choose to take 2 cards from my hand, “Freezing Soap” and “Dodgeball Instructions”.
The Third Turn
After you have picked up the shoes and put them on, you will be able to explore more of the house. To the right of where you are standing, there is a door that leads outside. However, you cannot go outside just yet because you need a key to unlock the door.
To the left of where you are standing, there is a staircase that leads upstairs. You can explore upstairs, but be warned that there are dangerous creatures lurking up there. If you want to explore upstairs, you will need to be very careful.
If you look straight ahead from where you are standing, you will see a hallway. This hallway leads to many different rooms in the house. You can explore these rooms if you want, but be aware that some of them are very dangerous.
The Fourth Turn
In the fourth turn, you will use your knowledge cards to answer trivia questions. If you are correct, you will earn money. If you are incorrect, you may lose money.
Winning the Game
The objective of the game is to reach the End of the Line, which is marked by a star. The game board is made up of a series of cards, each with its own unique effect. Some cards will move you forward, while others will teleport you to different parts of the board or force you to draw additional cards.
The player who reaches the End of the Line first is the winner. However, if any player runs out of cards before reaching the end, they automatically lose.
