Mayfair Games Iron Dragon Review

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(More customer reviews)Iron Dragon is a fairly complicated and really quite fun strategy game that is not so hard (though not so easy) to learn, and quite hard to master. Like most railroad games, the basic idea of the game is to make money by using your one train engine to transport goods from one city to another dictated by a hand of three cards. To move accross the map, the player needs to spend his money to build railroad tracks.
Iron Dragon is essentially an Empire Builder variant with a ton of special rules, such as foremen, ports and ships, random events, and the Underground. We've enjoyed all of these special rules, though many of our friends who started by playing Empire Builder do not like many of these rules. It is true that some of the special rules have rather strange and extreme effects on play balance.
The materials are quite appealing, and the erasable crayons that are used to draw the railroad lines are excellent. Unfortunately, we've found that the board can peel off if you aren't careful in erasing, and the crayons go fast.
I like this game because there is a lot of strategy involved and rather little cutthroat diplomacy (so you don't see a 3-1 gang up like in many other multi-player games). There isn't much player-to-player interaction (which I prefer, but many of my friends do not like), and the game can get very slow at times (leave an hour per player at least for play time). Still it is one of my personal favorites. END

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Iron Dragon takes railroading games where they have never gone before - to a land filled with elves, cat-people, trolls, and magic. Genetically engineered dragons pull trains across dangerous and unexplored territory. Connect cities, fight off forest creatures, and explore the underground to build a railroad empire.Based on the Empire Builder system, this fantasy game puts classic building strategy and money management tools in a new venue. Players use erasable crayons on a special board and operate a rail empire. Perfect for an evening of fun and adventure with family and friends.

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British Rails Review

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(More customer reviews)Lot's of fun, but gets a bit monotonous after long playings, the events do make it a little more unpredictable though overall it is a decent game and does teach users the geography of Great Britain and the idea of supply and demand.

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Visit the enchanted misty island of Britain with this Empire Builder series game. British Rails features the exotic and interesting landscape of the island nation. Build tracks across the island through city and village, and cross the country running rails from London to York through the forest of Sherwood. Pick-up and deliver goods, tourists, raw materials. This "bookshelf" strategy board game is for 2-6 players, ages 12 and up. It takes about 2 hours to play. Measures 2"L x 11.625"W x 2"H.

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China Rails Review

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(More customer reviews)I went to a local toy store to buy a game that I could use with my two 10 3/4 year olds while we practiced Mandarin. The guy at the store recommended this game. Last night I read the directions and tonight we read them and began playing at the same time. While there is a little bit of a learning curve, i.e. as we played the game we figured out that we needed to do this differently or that differently, we had a great time and could not put the game away to go to bed. My goal is to learn the game well enough so that when we get together with our friend on Saturday and play games in Mandarin, we will first be able to teach her how to play, and then play only using Mandarin. We played and read the directions tonight for about an hour and a half. The kids will have some friends over in a couple of days and this is what they want to play with them. AFter these two trial and error sessions, we should be able to teach someone to play.
This is a really fun game that will live on for a long time in our home. It is fun, educational an will change with every game. I think that each time one plays it, one can get better and better. This should continue into adulthood.
It is not too hard for my kids now, even my daughter who often gets frustrated with complex strategy games. If you are not too great with strategy, you can still play and have fun. The better your strategy abilibies are, the better you will make out in the game, but it is still fun for everyone. Also, it is easy to learn from eachother and to grow in abilities.
It is extrememly educational both in learning the Chinese geography as well as in thinking strategically.

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From Tibet to Taiwan, the needs of the Republic call out to you. With your limited resources, can you construct the most efficient rail network? Can you deliver needed goods more quickly than your competitors? Can you prove to the People and the Party that you, and you alone, deserve to be named the "Minister of Railroads"? Events and disasters, both natural and man-made, will stand in your way. But if your plan is sound and your tactics are true, you shall overcome them all and claim your victory.

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India Rails Review

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(More customer reviews)The rail building series by Mayfair games has to be my favorite set of games. The first game will take a few hours and is a little confusing but, once you get the rules down, the fun really begins! Besides being very fun and entertaining, this game promotes geography education. I can now point out Bhopal on a map! We initially bought Empire Builder (the American map) but now own India Rails, British rails and Eurorails. Do not attampt to play this game with young children or the impatient. But, give it a chance and you will be hooked!

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Another in the Empire Builder system, India Rails features the exotic land of India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, Sri Lanka and parts of Pakistan. Build tracks from Bombay to Calcutta, cross the Thar Desert (beware of sand storms!), and pick up and deliver gypsum, indigo, jute and rugs. An additional twist to the game is the special rules regarding pilgrims. India Rails is a bookcase game with puzzle cut map.

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Lunar Rails Review

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(More customer reviews)Lunar Rails is another offering in the same Mayfair Games series of commodity trading games such as Eurorails, Russian Rails, India Rails, etcetera.
Lunar Rails is a terrific game for the entire family. The concept is that you are creating rail lines to gather commodities from cities and ship them to other places on the moon that need those commodities. It's rather simple, yet complex. The game is not perhaps as educational as Eurorails (where you end up learning the locations & geography of Europe), as you are building your rail lines across the moon. You need to pay attention to whether your shortest distance is to travel across the surface or over to the far side of the moon.
We have found that the game is always refreshingly challenging and different. One strategy may work well one time, but may be disasterous in another game. There is a lot of strategy, a bit of luck, and a lot of fun. It is very addictive, easy to learn, and quite entertaining. We've found that kids above the age of 10, adults, and everyone in between enjoy the game thoroughly. We haven't played the game with anyone who didn't immediately go out and buy a copy.
This game works very well for two people, even better for three or four. However, it is time consuming. Games tend to take 2.5-4 hours (Mayfair games are notorious for under-estimating the amount of time needed to play a game!)
For those who have the game already, this helper may pare down the play time a little bit: We've always use a variation of the "fast game" - start with 70 mil. Euros, take three turns to begin, and each turn is 12 mileposts (upgrades take you to 16 mileposts). A game for two people, starting with this "accelerated start" we can get a game done within 1.5-2 hours.
My other recommendation is that if you buy this game, you may need to get another set of crayons. You don't need "wipe off" crayons - just get the very cheapest crayons you can find, which wipe off the board even better than the "wipe-off" type. The more inexpensive the crayons, the more wax content, which helps them to wipe off easily. Just be careful that with any crayons you use, you don't write too hard (particularly on the water parts of the board) - you can wear off the print.
If you enjoy games like the "Settlers of Catan", or perhaps the "Ticket To Ride" games, you'll probably love this game. It is less complicated than games in the "Settlers" series, but very challenging.


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Dawn on the moon. The brilliant blue Earth rises above the crater's edge. Amid the lunar dust in the cold emptiness that is the lunar atmosphere, you can feel the strength and power of the train rushing by, but you can not hear it... One can't help but wonder at the willfulness of the human race, shaping the universe one rock at a time. From dome to dome, installation to mine to city, all the settlements on the moon must be connected by rail. There are no roads for cars, no atmosphere for airplanes. The only economical solution is rail. High speed, high capacity, reliable, efficient.Are you up to the challenge? Can you drive the rail lines from Sinus Iridum to Mare Nectarus?

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Empire Builder Review

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(More customer reviews)This game is really alot of fun! Our little group when playing this game ranges from 33 to 15. We all have alot of fun with this game. We have played it so much, the puzzle board is starting to get worn down and the crayons are almost done. Everyone in the family will have fun with this game!

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Discover a modern North American classic. Celebrate one of our most vital and enduring passions: railroads. Use your initial investment to build track. Then pick up commodities where they are grown, mined, or manufactured and deliver them to a lucrative place of demand. Complete a delivery and make the money you need to buy larger, faster trains, and expand your railroad empire.With over a million variations, Empire Builder never grows old. Capture the entrepreneurial spirit of North America and learn to build an empire. Whether you share Empire Builder as an evening with friends or as a rainy day activity with your family, you'll always find it captivating!Geographically accurate, the game depicts North America's rivers, mountains and plains, as well as its natural resources. It's a great way to learn about the geography, business, shipping, and transportation of the U.S., Canada and Mexico while having loads of fun with family and friends.For 2 - 6 players, ages 12 and up.Playing time:90+ minutesContents:1 markable gameboard (puzzle-cut map), 6 wipe off crayons, 2 decks of cards (168 total), 95 load chips, 1 pack of game money and full color rules with game overview and introduction.

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