Pandemic, by Z-MAN Games, is the game I’ve been looking forward to playing. I dragged the kids away from the PS4 with promises of chips and dips and we started to learn Pandemic. It is a fabulous board game and really easy to learn, even though it looks a little daunting at first.
Essentially the game is for 2-4 players. The task is to cure four different deadly diseases that threaten the world. You are a scientist and you have to find the cure and then travel from city to city around the world containing infections and curing people. The more curing you do the more points you score and the more chance you have to win. As outbreaks and epidemics escalate the players have to cooperate but also compete to win. As more people become infected an epidemic could ruin the game.
Find the cure before it’s too late! Humanity’s fate is in your hands!
Yes … it’s that exciting!
Role play and game play
Each player becomes a different character (dispatcher, medic, scientist, researcher, or operations expert) with unique abilities. So, at each turn, you draw cards and then you establish a way to treat diseases (malaria, typhus, yellow fever and cholera). You then travel to the different cities at greatest risk, exchange cards and working as a team to save the human race.
Playing
Toby and Millie-Mae quickly fell into their roles as medical research scientists. We had an interesting game. And as we became more knowledgeable and used to the rules, the game started to resemble the cyclical nature of Monopoly and Cluedo.
Toby enjoyed the game because it was not completely competitive in nature as you had to work together. Millie-Mae enjoyed the scientific nature of the game and the competitive element (she did win eventually). I just thought that the game reminded me of the preamble to so many zombie apocalypse films! It was fun to play and the game will definitely be added to our game’s night repertoire for the community family social club.
Awards
Pandemic has won more than 30 awards since it was first launched in 2008 and has spawned a number of different versions and expansions with different rules, maps, challenges and scenarios.
Disclaimer
We received Pandemic to play as we’re members of the Blogger Board Game Club. The game description and our thoughts about the game are our own and haven’t been influenced in any way.
My nephews love board games which include maps. This looks like the sort of thing they would like. We haven’t got enough strategy games in our house, so worth considering.
Definitely one to put on your shortlist
Oo I’m always on the look out for a new board game! I love that this is not completely competitive and encourages team work instead 🙂
Yes it is a little different in that sense
What a cool game. My kids are into role play so I am sure they will like this.
It’s a very good game
This one is great isn’t it?! We love our family games night and have lots of board games indoors.
We need to play more often. Alas the xbox tends to win the kids attention a lot recently …
I’ve never heard of this game before. It sounds good and i like that it encourages team work.
Look it up – it’s a good one!
I am big into board games. I have been looking into buying this game for a while! My friend has it but everytime I want to play it the group don’t agree.
oh that’s no good! Boo to your friends!
This is a new one to me but sounds great! We want to spend more time playing board games so this will be good once Ethan is a bit older.
Yes, definitely keep it in mind
That sounds like a really interesting and gripping theme for a board game. Definitely something different there!
It’s very different – and a good game to boot!
This looks really good, I love the role play element looks so much fun!
The role play is the best bit about the game
Oh I havent seen this one before but it looks like something fun for kids who are into something out of the ordinary!
It’s definitely a little different!
This sounds like a really fun board game. I need to get some in before the summer holidays.
Yes, we always stock up as summer approaches!
I’ve haven’t seen this one before. You can’t beat a good family board game!
I totally agree …
We love this game. The kids are always asking to play it. x
Brilliant!
Oh wow this sounds super fun, challenging and interesting – I know my eldest would love to play this (as would I). Sounds like an ace new board game
Laura x
It’s a good one – we really enjoyed playing it
Ooh I saw someone playing this in a Board Game Cafe recently and thought it sounded cool – it’s definitely on our to-buy list. I just LOVE that there are so many cool board games available now.
I need to get some in before the summer holidays. I saw someone playing this in a Board Game Cafe recently and thought it sounded cool. it’s definitely on our to-buy list. I haven’t seen this one before. You can’t beat a good family board game. I haven’t seen this one before but it looks like something fun for kids who are into something out of the ordinary.