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HeroQuest review: amid dragons and dungeons

17.11.2023

Translation: Katherine Martin

Three decades after its release, the board game classic HeroQuest is back. Combining nostalgia with contemporary elements, the game aims to delight old fans and win over new ones. Can it still hold its own in today’s board game landscape?

If you were one of those kids in the early 90s who’d sneak out of bed to watch Scooby Doo before your parents got up on Sundays, then you probably remember HeroQuest from TV commercials. Back then, the ad would run on a continuous loop.

In HeroQuest, there are up to four heroes – a barbarian, a dwarf, an elf and a wizard. One player takes control of the game, steering you through a labyrinth to fight against evil. The goal? To master epic challenges, unearth treasures and defeat sinister creatures. A semi-cooperative game, HeroQuest involves one person playing the antagonist Zargon while the rest take on the hero roles.

The game was originally published in 1989 by Milton Bradley (MB) in collaboration with Games Workshop. It was one of the first board games to incorporate elements from the then-popular pen-and-paper role-playing games such as Dungeons & Dragons. After a brief run of success, the game was sold to Hasbro in 1993 before gradually falling into obscurity. In the years that followed, successors including Advanced HeroQuest and Warhammer Quest hit the shelves. These games, however, were more complex and broke with the simple concept behind HeroQuest’s gameplay. The original became a coveted collector’s item, winning a permanent place in many fans’ hearts.

Board games

EUR136,82

Hasbro Gaming HeroQuest

In 2022, a crowdfunding campaign initiated by Hasbro and Avalon Hill brought HeroQuest back to life. The new edition stays true to the concept of the original game, while complementing it with contemporary features such as an app capable of replacing the game master.

The expert verdict

The Zofingen Board Game Club (Brettspielverein Zofingen) (website in German) helped us put HeroQuest through its paces. Once a month, the group gets together for a bumper evening of board games, playing everything from quick card games to strategy beasts lasting several hours.

The excitement is palpable when the heroes go into battle.
Source: Lukas Schär

The board game experts filled out a questionnaire for us, rating HeroQuest in various categories. Three things were apparent to the reviewers. Firstly, HeroQuest is an epic – it’s not suited to gamers just looking to play something quick. Secondly, the game is highly dependent on luck. Though, that’s hardly surprising. HeroQuest was made in the USA, and American games are notorious for being dice-heavy, with luck playing a significant role. Thirdly, the Zofingen pros praised the quality of the game components. For a game as hotly anticipated as this one, purporting to offer years of fun, this is certainly a plus.

As well as filling out the questionnaire, the reviewers also had the chance to comment on the game. One criticism was that the characters could’ve been more varied. Another was that the game master role is too powerful: «The game master’s abilities are too strong. Other players are easy pickings for them.» All in all, everyone said they enjoyed HeroQuest, with only one of the five players saying they wouldn’t want to play it again.

HeroQuest’s game pieces are of very high quality.
Source: Lukas Schär

Verdict: a fantasy lover’s classic

The new edition of HeroQuest offers a nostalgic journey with contemporary adaptations. Whether it measures up to newer, more complex games such as Gloomhaven is ultimately a matter of taste. If you’re looking to briefly immerse yourself in heroic fantasy adventures and appreciate 80s and 90s charm, HeroQuest could be just the thing for you.

Header image: Lukas Schär

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Ramon Schneider

Editor

Ramon.Schneider@digitecgalaxus.ch

I get paid to play with toys all day.

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