Tribond game

by Amanda Nettgen

(USA)

Game:
Tribond
Game manufacturer:
Patch Products
Number of players:
2 or more
Ages:
12+

Quick verdict

Tribond is a trivia race that asks you to find the link, or ‘bond’, among three separate items. The classic example that got me hooked was between a tree, a car and an elephant; what they all have in common are trunks!

The game and gameplay

To play Tribond, you first select your pawn color, either as an individual or part of a team. Everyone will actually have three pawns in their control, and it’s a player’s job to guide all three of his tokens from start to finish on three separate paths.

In case you hadn’t guessed, the three paths are what make up the large Tribond game triangle on the green and purple game board.

To successfully transport all of your pawns home (kind of like in Trouble), you need to answer a series of Threezers (game questions) relating to a variety of subjects. On your turn you roll a regular die and a category die, but don’t follow what the regular die says unless you get the Tribond game question right.

For every correct answer, you choose which of your three pawns you wish to progress and move them according to what the normal die reads. You also get to “tri” to answer another set of linked clues.If an opposing pawn lands on the space of another pawn, a duel ensues. Hopefully a neutral third party is there to read the rivals a challenge Tribond, but if not, just be sure to look at the card at the same time and read it together. Challenges are generally “easier” than traditional Tribond clues and are also found randomly on the board and in place of some card clues.

The pawn possessor who fell short of getting the answer first goes back to the spot from whence the earlier token came.

The first player to get the three pawns of which he is responsible for around their individual routes wins.

Pros and cons

The Tribond game is a good concept when it comes to exercising your mind. The cards themselves make for a decent portable distraction.

Tribond has the potential to be deemed boring fairly quickly, though. It starts off fun, but often shifts to frustrating with the stretches in comparisons the game makes.

The verdict

The Tribond game is worth a “tri”, but I wouldn’t say it has lasting appeal. Perhaps if the manufacturers had incorporated a little more variety into the basis of the game play it would be granted more of a keeper.