Planet of the Apes 2001

Designed to cash in on the popular remake of the classic sci-fi movie Planet of the Apes, the object of this game is to collect a set of items which will allow you to be the first to escape the planet through a time portal. The playing surface comprises 20 modular board units which are shuffled prior to play and therefore create a randomized labyrinth planet to be explored. 120 push-out cardboard tiles represent hidden bonuses and hazards and three special dice decide the combat and range of movement. Exploration elements work well and ensure no two games are the same. Dressing the board with the rather fiddly little tiles each time a new part of the maze is uncovered can become tedious. The cumulative effect of collected weapons can render a lucky player almost invincible very quickly, with the chimp warriors soon becoming superfluous and little more than an irritation.

A reasonable strategic exploration game for the younger player.