Thanks Kip Russell.
When *was* the last time I played “Risk”?
Not many of the folks over 80 around here give a damn!
My gaming group occasionally plays a variant called "Risk: 2210 AD". It's in interesting version that adds a lot of depth, and one cool feature is that it only lasts 5 turns (each turn does take quite a bit longer than in the in the original game, so a typical game is 2 to 3 hours).
The most recent version we played was "Risk Legacy":
http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/105134/risk-legacy
Risk Legacy represents what is if not a new, at least a rare concept to boardgaming: campaigning. At its core, the game, particularly at first, plays much like regular Risk with a few changes. Players control countries or regions on a map of the world, and through simple combat (with players rolling dice to determine who loses units in each battle) they try to eliminate all opponents from the game board or control a certain number of "red stars", otherwise known as victory points (VPs).
What's different is that Risk Legacy' changes over time based on the outcome of each game and the various choices made by players. In each game, players choose one of five factions; each faction has uniquely shaped pieces, and more importantly, different rules. At the start of the first game, each of these factions gains the ability to break one minor rule, such as the ability to move troops at any time during your turn, as opposed to only at the end.
What makes this game unique is that when powers are chosen, players must choose one of their faction's two powers, affix that power's sticker to their faction card, then destroy the card that has the other rule on it – and by destroy, the rules mean what they say: "If a card is DESTROYED, it is removed from the game permanently. Rip it up. Throw it in the trash." This key concept permeates through the game. Some things you do in a game will affect it temporarily, while others will affect it permanently. These changes may include boosting the resources of a country (for recruiting troops in lieu of the older "match three symbols" style of recruiting), adding bonuses or penalties to defending die rolls to countries, or adding permanent continent troop bonuses that may affect all players.
Brilliant marketing concept! Once you finish a 15 game campaign, the only way to play the game again is to purchase an entirely new copy at $59.99 a pop.