Riddle of the Ring (1982)

In this fairly simple game based on The Lord of the Rings, you play one of four Hobbits or one of four Black Riders. Each player competes against all the other players to win. A Hobbit player wins if he can get the one ring to the Cracks of Doom and survive for one turn. A Black Rider player wins if he can get the ring to Barad-Dur and survive for one turn.

There is a map of Middle Earth but this is a card driven game. The map generally hinders movement and supplies places to draw cards. Cards can be tools to help you fight or move through types of terrain at a reduced cost.

A players turn consists of moving, having Friendly Exchanges, executing Power Plays, and drawing cards. Power Plays include looking at other player’s hands, taking cards from another player, and/or executing a battle against another player.

Though game play is simple and fast, strategies and subtleties of play are not always obvious and requires intelligent play through good timing in movement, using cards effectively, and especially having Friendly Exchanges and Power Plays in combinations to achieve maximum advantage.

Optional rules include playing as partners (Hobbits vs. Black Riders) and the enhanced two-player game where one player controls all four Hobbits and the other player controls all four Black Riders.