'Capture' offers unique game play

CAPTURE: A BOOK OF MORMON CARD GAME, designed by Stephen Wood, illustrations by Bryan Beach, Deseret Book, $9.99

Capture: A Book of Mormon Card Game is a strategy game of collecting and matching that is appropriate for LDS family time. Instead of slapping an LDS theme on a version of existing games like Go Fish or War, Capture offers unique game play, quick decisions and attractive cartoon artwork.

Capture has two decks of cards called play cards and goal cards. The standard-sized playing cards in the play deck depict a person, place or item from Book of Mormon stories along with action cards. The goal deck is comprised of larger cards that depict two different items from the play deck of people, places or items.

To begin play, two to six players are each dealt five cards from the play deck to form their hands. Then a single card from the goal deck is flipped face up. Players draw two cards from the play deck and are able to play two cards from their hands. The first player to collect cards featuring the two items on the goal card wins the game.

However, the action cards can create havoc! When an action cards is selected, you capture a card from another player, swap hands, draw extra cards, discard cards or draw a new goal card that changes the strategy to win the game. You will be hard-pressed to win without capturing cards from other players. While some people may find this tactic mean-spirited, playing without the action cards would make the game drag.

I played this game several times with my family during the 2010 holidays. My wife liked it because it had a Book of Mormon theme, was easy to learn and only took about 20 minutes to play. My 8-year-old daughter kept asking to play it again and told me she was having fun.

I enjoyed the game because the price was appropriate for a card game and featured a scripture we could read and discuss to become more immersed in the theme of the game. The cards are a bit flimsy and could have been better quality. The box indicates players should be at least age 6, but children must be able to read and understand the action cards. Overall, Capture is a simple, unique, fun and well-priced card game.

e-mail: rmorgenegg@desnews.com