Klondyke

This game is set in the gold rush in Alaska and the players take role as one of six well known gold diggers from this period: Big Hawk Haida, Annie "Get Your Gun" Oakley, James W. Marshall, Kit Carson, C. G. Larsson and Jim Bridger. Which one you chose to play makes no difference to game play other than from where on the game board you start.

The game board shows a map of Alaska and there are marked out 25 red, circular fields. Before the game starts you put the event counters on these fields. The green on top and the black on the bottom. These red fields are connected with roads which is where the players move their playing pieces. If a player moves over a field with an event counter then he picks it up and follows the instructions for this event.

The different event counters are:

• Gold: You find x dollars worth of gold. (from $100 to $1,000)
• Wolf: You fight against a wolf. Lose one turn but receive $100 for fur.
• Bear: You fight against a bear. Lose one turn but receive $200 for the fur.
• Reindeer: You get hold of a reindeer. You might move twice the die roll on your next turn.
• Bear tracks: Somewhere close a bear i lurking. Move five fields back to get to safety.
• Snow storm: Wait one turn for the storm to pass.
• Wet trousers: Your trousers are wet from walking over the river. Wait one turn for them to dry.
• Broken pick: Your pick brakes. Wait one turn and make a new handle.
• Robbers: You are being robbed for $200. ($500 if it's on a black event counter).
• Home: You receive a letter from home. In this letter you read that there is no gold left in Alaska. You decide to travel back home. This event makes the game go into it's last phase (see below).

Winning the game

The player who first gets to one of the corners (ie "home") with $2,000 or more is declared the winner. If someone picks up the event counter HOME then the rumour that there is no gold left will spread out and all players decide to travel back home. In this case the winner will be the player who reaches one of the corners with only 200 dollars or more.

Summary

This is a typical childrens game. You roll the die, move around and pick event cards trying to make money. The game play is nothing special, but I remember playing it a lot when I was a kid - it was rich of athmosphere. It's been out of print for 15-20 years.

Reader comments

monica galván alvarez:

I want to know more about MR. Viestola, i like his work very much, I´m studying Graph Designe in México (UAM) Place, send me some information

daphna:

I WANT TO PLAY THE GAME AND I CANT...I NEED IT FOR SCHOOL AND I CANT FIND THE GAME ANY WHERE... MAN I NEED THE GAME.

aku louhimies:

Hello!Is it possible to find instructions to Klondyke in Finnish? Thank you in advance.

Harri S:

If someone knows any game to sell, please Email me.Best ever....

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