Dr.360.com Reviews
Elaine Russo
April 2007
USA

So, it isn't the 1800's anymore. You probably don't even spend hours a day in the mountains with a pick axe and dirt sifter trying to find your fortune. No need to worry though, you can get a glimpse of the excitement of the gold rush with the Out of the Box Games creation GOLD DIGGER.

Game Summary: Stake your claims to six different gold mines as 30 whimsical wild west characters (such as Daniel Boom and Daisy Crocket) while you and your opponents decide how much gold each mine will contain. As always, the player with the most gold at the end of the game wins.

Game Play: The directions are very straightforward with a minimal number of rules to remember. It shouldn't take anymore than 10 minutes to get started after opening the box. GOLD DIGGER is essentially a card game in which each player is dealt 3 cards at random from a 60 card deck. Cards are either character cards which correspond in color to one of six gold mines to which they may stake a claim, or gold cards which represent variable amounts of gold (including Fool's Gold which is worth 0 bags of gold) that are strategically placed inside each mine. The game set-up also includes 2 small gameboards which each have 3 mines by which characters and gold cards are placed. Each player may only play one of their cards per turn and then must draw another card from the deck until all 60 cards are used.

Strategy: There is a surprising amount of forethought involved in each move for those who wish to be master of the mines. Multiple claim staking and the luck of the draw make for endless possibilities. You decide whether you should stake a claim to an empty mine or maybe lure your opponents to a mine that you will fill with fool's gold (after all, once a claim is staked it can't be moved).

GOLD DIGGER is highly recommended for all those family night gamers whose young prospectors are ready for a challenge. Even those who are more experienced enjoy games like GOLD DIGGER that engage us with their simplicity and entertain us with their unique style.

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