The stone-eater's paradise

The Easter Island and its giant stone statues, called moai, should be familiar. But few know that these statues were used by sorcerers to destroy the Moais other in a game of power. Well, unless they sell their moai on my foot, it is all right with me.

So at least it is according to the game "Easter Iceland" from - at least in Germany rather unknown - Published Twilight Creations Inc., have been. With Easter Iceland is in our essence, is an abstract game for exactly 2 players. "Basically," because this game plays were abstract, but the presentation leaves one step away.

So go ahead, put on your witch hats, stick your Saruman-beards in your face and let a few cairns push through the area, nothing is easier than that!

Looks grim for the ages

Each player gets seven and eight Moais sun marker of their color. Then in turn four Moais be placed on the board. Even when construction on the viewing direction should be taken of the moai, as this is extremely important. Yes, the fierce gaze of the moai is a deeper reason, just wait!

From now on, each player is allowed to perform two out of five possible actions before the next person's turn and must perform his part two actions. It then goes on to the end of the game.

The five possible actions are:

• The sight of a separate change Moai
• Another own Moai from the reservoir into the game
• Moai own move in any direction
• Own solar markers placed
• Own solar marker use, which was placed not only in this round

How exactly does it work and why we all join in at all, I am here and now, most recently explained by the Easter Island, in the shadow of a Moai.

In general, everyone can use only his own Moais and solar marker. It may be distributed at both events, including two times the same action.

In the game there are four directions, always along the lines. Who says so that he can place his Moais obliquely, has probably never before received such a park for a few days on his feet? Since only the funniest people like that stuff (the pun!), We'd like to think that you do it right, and the Moai set up so that your back is always parallel to one of the lines. Thus, it should also be clear that changes to the first action just above the line of sight in one of four possible directions.

On your feet and go!

The second action should another moai from the stock are brought into play on an open field. Here, too, of course, be taken back to the alignment, failing which "Moai à base", considering it to you.

The third action allows the moving of a Moai, which must be drawn here as far as desired along a line. A change in direction as well as skipping or displacing other Moais is not allowed. Therefore, it can only be drawn across the empty fields. Similarly, the movement on such a field border.

The face of death

Now we come to the exciting and all-explaining element of the game, namely the benefits of solar marker, that we destroy the enemy of the moai. * Whahaha! *

Let's start slowly at first and explain how and where a solar marker may be placed at all. Who are the board has looked at times, will certainly have an idea where to place the marker. Exactly, the outermost, more remote points with the arrows have not been given importance, but this is changing now.

The action itself is simple. The marker is placed with the sun down on one of the 20 points provided that it is still free, because in each of these 20 points may only be a marker, and these, once established, to the end of the game remain there.

Darth Moai and the power of destruction

So, now it should let her run wild and your hatred to the dark side of the moai to go, but that's what you've been waiting all the time!

The fifth and last possible action should therefore an (own) solar markers are reversed. Thus, a ray of sunshine (for the destructive among us, death ray) is sent in the arrow direction. Now the highlight of the game comes to the fore, as there may be several possible effects, depending on which side makes the sunbeam a Moai.

But first, there are two important rules to be observed: first, must be no solar markers are used, which was placed immediately before. On the other hand must not be placed immediately before Moai be involved. These two very important rules to prevent the usage of the solar markers and will make the game a strategy and Taktikmix with tremendous depth.

Back to the death ray of sunshine.

Such is always sent in a straight line along the arrow.

If a Moai in the back or front hit, he is considered destroyed and removed from the game (it will not set back to the storage of the player). Meets the Sunbeam one of the sides of the Moai, he's the first time not because of reflected sunlight from him and goes in sight. If a Moai for the second time made by the same ray of sunlight, it is considered destroyed. In that case, it does not matter from which side it is made. It is also possible that the Sunbeam after he was reflected, take no further Moai more and leaves the board. In this case, the Moai, which reflects the sun's last beam is destroyed. This is also the most common death-knell for our beloved rock piles.

A ray of sunlight is only considered to be dealt if he has destroyed either a moai, or leaves the board without having hit a moai. Who now is not clear that the latter never actually happened, which is probably a very early Moai welcome on his foot.

Thus, we would have also clarified why the sight of the moai is extremely important. It can and does happen that a ray of sunlight reflected several times, until he destroyed a Moai ultimately - whether through direct or multiple connected or just the fact that the solar beam exits through a reflection of the game (because it is indeed the last taken Moai destroyed).

Now the only question is how to win the game for all. Now, there is still no winner, but for a loser, that is the one who has only a single moai on the island (no matter how many he has still in stock). This fact must collect all the pieces and reassemble into new Moais, so that the next round can be started.

Conclusion

For me and many others it remains a mystery why this (very good) game is still so unknown. Sure, are abstract games are not for everyone, but for one it should be people who may like abstract games, and second, the presentation is not just abstract and thus more accessible to other players, perhaps as a game "without" graphic.

I think it is a very successful game with a very chic appearance. While there were only "small" 5 inches high rubber Moai, which also left no worse marks on his foot enclosed, but it must not be made on the holiday of Easter Island, to play this brilliant game. I can recommend it to anyone who likes abstract games or at least has no strict opposition to such. The reward is a very complex game with a successful mechanism to be respected because of the glare and the sun-placed markers on other needs. Easter Iceland does in no way behind the more popular games of his way to hide, rather it provides some of those in the shadows, the dark side.

Year: 2006
Publisher: Twilight Creations Inc.
Authors: Roberto Fraga & Odet L'Homer
Illustration: Kurt Miller
Players: 2
Age: 8 +

Duration: 30 minutes

Tags: 2 Player