Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Yard Sale Treasure: Bermuda Triangle

I love yard sales. I love finding a hidden piece of treasure in somebody else's trash. This past summer, I found a real steal for $1 - a COMPLETE version of the board game Bermuda Triangle. This game was originally published in 1976 by Milton Bradley. The concept is simple. You're a shipping captain and you have to move goods around the Caribbean. Unfortunately, your routes take you dangerously close (and even into!) the Bermuda Triangle! The board is plotted with coordinates. Throughout the game, a large, nebulous Mystery Cloud moves and spins around the board. Should your ship move under the cloud or should the cloud move over your ship, you may be counted in the many victims the Bermuda Triangle has claimed.

The cloud actually has several large magnets in it. It can pick up your ship (which also has a magnet in it), pass it unscathed (if you're lucky!), or move it to a new location. As a game mechanic, this truly random game element is my primary fascination with the game. The game creators did a great job of recapturing the feeling a ship's captain must feel when they see a large storm approaching their vessel at sea.

While you may never see a copy of Bermuda Triangle, I'd like to encourage you to yard sale and keep your eyes peeled for gaming gems. Sometimes when grandma cleans out the attic and basement she digs out a forgotten game that can be a real gem. Do you have a similar story? Post it here!

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