Review -- LEGENDS OF WRESTLING CARD GAME

LEGENDS OF WRESTLING CARD GAME

While very few admit to it, the world is populated by thousands who tune into the weekly soap opera world of professional wrestling.
I know I grew up watching Stampede Wrestling on Saturday afternoons with my dad, and yes, I still watch Monday Night Raw and TNA Wrestling on occasion. There, I admitted it.
So, if you are one of the myriad of wrestling fans out there, and you also happen to like boardgames, then you may have wondered if you could combine the two interests?
Well there are some wrestling games out there, and one of the neatest little offerings is Legends of Wrestling Card Game from Filsinger Games Company.
Creator Tom Filsinger has found a niche area of wrestling to use as a base for his game, one which draws from the old days of the game before Vincent Kennedy McMahon owned almost the entire wrestling universe.
So if you are under the age of about 30, and only a casual wrestling fan, the wrestlers depicted in this game will be a mystery to you.
But, as an old Stampede Wrestling fan, the game is populated with familiar names. There are 24-wrestlers in the game including the likes of Bobo Brazil, Killer Kowalski, Gorgeous George, Harley Race, and Ox Baker.
For the younger fan, there are some faces that still play a role in the game such as Ted DiBiase, Sandman, Jimmy Snuka, and the Road Warriors; Hawk and Animal.
The nice thing is that each wrestler has a card, with a solid black and white illustration of the legend. That is a cool feature of the game.
From there the game is a rather simple one based on charts and dice roles, a system used best in the classic Strat-O-Matic Baseball.
In LofW players each select a combatant and you start rolling dice, and following the charts to see what transpires.
Initially it may seem a tad tedious searching charts, but once you get a few games under your belt you get to know many of the results by heart, and away you go.
Because the game is randomized by the dice rolls, the game plays as a solo game too. For the true fanatic you can wrestle-off your favourites anytime you want. Not a bad way to kill some time.
The game has basic rules, then once comfortable, adds a layer of complexity with an advanced ruleset, which is a nice touch since it allows you to grow into the game.
In the back of the rulebook are rules for special matches, including the Texas Death Match, Cage Match, Brass Knuckles Match, Tag-Team and Battle Royal. Now really, how neat is that. Ox Baker and Killer Kowalski in a brass knucs match — sweet indeed.
The game debuted in 2002, and has been supported by a range of expansion cards available at http://www.filsingergames.com/low/
I still want a Canadian expansion. Imagine a Stampede Wrestling set; Archie ‘The Stomper’ Gouldie, Dan Kroffat, Gene Kiniski, Big John Quinn, Don Leo Jonathan, Abdullah the Butcher and Haystacks Calhoun, as a new offering.
As is though, this is a simple, yet fun wrestling simulation, that fans are going to enjoy.
-- CALVIN DANIELS
-- Review first appeared in Yorkton This Week newspaper Feb 3, 2010 - Yorkton, SK. Canada