Risk is a board game that I enjoyed as a lad, and Hasbro also made two very good versions for the PC in the 90s. Very recently I discovered that a new version of Risk is being unleashed on Xbox Live which reiginited my interest in the game. So I searched the App Store only to discover that the game had not (yet) made it onto the iPhone or iPod Touch. That initial disappointment quickly evaporated when I discovered something else, Lux DLX, which is a very faithful...er...interpretation of the classic board game. So how does it compare? Read on...Lux DLX is a turn-based game of global conquest, where the winner is the last man (or woman) standing. You can choose to play against computer AI players or you can play "hot seat" against human players in the same room. Players take it in turn to move pieces across a board representing a map, where each territory is controlled by a player. The more territories you own, the more reinforcements you earn in the next turn. The key to winning the game is picking your battles carefully and mounting attacks where your opponents are weakest, while carefully watching your own back.
The game is intuitive and very easy to pick up and play, taking full advantage of the iPhone and iPod Touch's screen. Simply tap on a territory to select it, tap on a neighbouring territory to attack it and so on. Risk players will instantly feel at home.
Lux DLX boasts over 50 maps, including downloadable content from the game's creator, Sillysoft, and other users. These maps range from the classic world map you'll find in Risk, to historical scampaigns such as The Roman Empire, The Iraq War and the American Civil War, to completely fictional scenarios. The maps I tried were well designed and fun to play. My only minor gripe is that some of the territories can occasionally be a bit small even for your pinkie to tap on, but you can zoom in and out of the board which usually alleviates the problem.
If you're a fan of turn-based strategy or, like me, you yearn for a portable fix of Risk on your iPhone or iPod Touch, then Lux DLX fills the gap nicely until the official game is (hopefully) released. It's extremely addictive and you will soon find that a "quick" game has lasted well into the wee, small hours as you strive for world domination. The presentation is a little rough around the edges here and there but don't let that dissuade you as the longevity of the gameplay easily justifies the low price tag. Highly recommended - and not a single dice in sight!
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