Acquire board game

by Christian

(Pennsauken, NJ, USA)

Game:
Acquire
Board Game Manufacturer:
Avalon Hill
Number of Players:
2-6

Quick verdict

An educational spin gives the Acquire board game some appeal to parents. Most gamers will not find it to their taste.

The game and gameplay

Once more this game from the 3M Bookshelf Series gets a complete overhaul as the the Sid Sackson classic is given new life.

In a game that is all about moving around and acquiring as many business acquisitions as one can, it is surprisingly entertaining. Acquire is relatively simple, albeit the confusing and sometimes intimidating game pieces. The name of the game is “Buy, buy, buy!”

Players strategically deal and invest in other businesses, all while trying to maintain the controlling interest of stocks.

Another opinion? See this Acquire review at Board Game Reviews by Josh

Now just like real life, these businesses can be bought out or merged with other businesses, creating more profits, stocks and even split stocks.

All the while, young business tycoons can trade their stocks in a 2-for-1 share ratio or sell them for current market value. The whole point of the game, you guessed it, is to make more money!The Acquire board game is composed of a board, paper money and stock notes as well as business tiles. The tiles are stacked one upon the other. This is to denote which businesses are doing better than others. A veritable Stock market Jenga.

As much fun as you would think this, it’s like sitting in an interactive Economics class in high school. Quite frankly too, I never did too well in Economics. I still play this game today for the interactive factor with friends.

Pros and cons

The Pros are pretty simple, so listen up parents, I’m talking to you right now. Acquire teaches a child about money and the value of a dollar. Everyone knows what it’s worth, but does anyone know its true value? That’s the moral of the game. Everyone gets a fair share of mathematics, socialization and even ways of pitching a sale.

The cons (and once more this is to the parents)… This game makes enemies. It almost teaches children or whoever plays the game to be underhanded and conniving. Like other games of its kind, it brings out the worst in all of us.

I guess cause money is concerned, like with most games where the sole objective is to win all the money and make everyone poor.

The verdict

With the exception of the edition that sports an anime box top cover, the Acquire game barely changes from the original Sid Sackson edition. I didn’t care for it then and I certainly don’t care for it now. However, due to the educational spin on the game, I give it an average score.