Risk: Transformers — Cybertron Battle Edition

This article is about the movie tie-in Risk game. For the Generation 1-based Risk game, see Risk: Transformers — The Decepticon Invasion of Earth.

Unicron played the game loads of times to satisfy his desire for crushing Primus...

Risk is a commercial boardgame produced by Hasbro under its Parker Brothers board games imprint. It involves turn-based strategy on a world map for two to six players. It was invented in 1957 by the clever fleshling Albert Lamorisse to allow his fellow meat creatures to pretend they were conquering the world. Little did these primitive sentients know that they were but grain before the thresher of mighty Megatron! Ahem. The movie-based Risk: Transformers version came out in May 2007.

Merchandise

Risk: Transformers

• Risk: Transformers — Cybertron Battle Edition (2007)

Risk: Transformers is a variation on the traditional Risk game ostensibly set in the movie continuity, though it may constitute a micro-continuity of its own. As a themed version of the old board game with a little Cybertronian flair, it grants a long-standing wish of many Transformer fans: a chance to participate in the Great War! In the classic, Earth-map game Risk, holding the bottlenecks, and therefore the "continent", is the key to victory. Hasbro's newest version changes the rules slightly with the ability to transform. The Cybertronian version of this game has characters (leaders of armies) who can change from their robot form to their alt mode, as well as entire territories (zones) that turn, open, and even crush whole armies, creating new strategic opportunities instantly. While the characters are obviously from the live-action movie, the areas of Cybertron draw primarily from the comic book continuities, and players can even occupy Unicron and Primus themselves—or, presumably, just zones named in honor of them. The game's duration is restricted by a 6 "day" time limit, but this is easily modified by just ignoring the counter on the side of the board. A more prominent variation from standard Risk is the use of the cards one gets from successfully invading another's territory during one's turn. Instead of the regular card with an army type on it accompanied by a territory, which could be exchanged for reinforcements once three of a kind were collected, the Transformer's Risk cards contain the ability to transform territories, provide offensive/defensive enhancements, or add an extra army or two, depending on the choice of the player who plays them. Gone are the days of massive reinforcements with which to scour the planet in one massive march.

The winner of the game is still primarily decided by the dice, which proffer luck indiscriminately and often thwart even the most capable war planner. Still, the game is fun and encourages creativity in the field of All Things Transformers. Now all fans need is a software version complete with graphics and sound bites...

Gameplay

Leaders

Each force in Risk: Transformers has a leader, capable of transforming (or "morphing") between robot and vehicle mode, each of which confers special powers on the character. Although the game is set on Cybertron, all the leaders (except Megatron) are depicted with Earthly alternate modes.

• Optimus Prime
• Megatron
• Bumblebee
• Barricade

Locations

Though the game is set in the movie continuity, the Cybertron of Risk: Transformers spans many locations, or "zones", drawn from previous incarnations of the franchise that will be familiar to the casual (and not-so-casual) fan. As with other themed versions of Risk, use of the definite article and spelling are somewhat arbitrary, leading to some slightly odd location names. These zones are grouped by color into "sectors", analogous to continents in traditional Risk.

Green Sector

• Central City
• Chamber of the Ancients
• High Council Pavilions
• Iacon
• Nova Cronum
• The Oracle
• Primus
• Protihex
• Pion Tower - this zone can be "transformed", or rotated, to allow access to neighbouring zones.
• Tyger Pax
• Unicron - the starting point for Megatron, Unicron is a location on Cybertron in this micro-continuity (perhaps he crashed).
• Uraya

Blue Sector

• The Arena
• Hexima State - invented for the game.
• Launch Pad - the tie-breaker. If both sides control an even number of zones at the end of the game, whoever controls this zone wins.
• Orbital Beta Platform - invented for the game.
• The Praetorus Wharf
• The Rad Zone
• Stella Galleries - presumably a misspelling of the Stellar Galleries, possibly by someone rather too fond of the old wife-beater.
• Tarn
• Vos

Purple Sector

• Altihex
• Kaon
• Kolkular
• Maccadams - as an unofficial rule, all players must take a drink whenever there's a battle involving this zone.
• Polyhex
• Praxus - like Pion Tower, Praxus can be rotated to allow or deny access to neighbouring zones.
• Smelting Pool

Red Sector

• Autobase - this is the starting point for Optimus Prime.
• The Decagon - opens to reveal a Secret War Factory.
• The Neutral Territories
• Plasma Energy Chamber
• The Tagon Heights
• Tyrest

Yellow Sector

• The Border Regions
• Kalis - where the dead walk.
• Perihex - invented for the game.
• The Space Bridge - this is the starting point for Bumblebee.

Orange Sector

• Hydrax Plateau - this is the starting point for Barricade.
• Moon Alpha - opens to reveal a Secret War Factory.
• The Sonic Canyons
• Tri-Torus Loop

Notes

• Some cities from the live-action movie continuity are absent from the board as well, notably Metrotitan, Simfur, and Trypticon (which could possibly be Unicron because they are both Megatron's headquarters/starting point).

External links

• Risk: Transformers review with pictures