Parents' Guide to Risk: Global Domination

They say that everybody wants to rule the world, and for more than sixty years armchair conquers done just that in Hasbro's popular strategy board game, Risk. Making the jump from the tabletop to handheld devices, Risk: Global Domination captures the classic experience to near perfection, while also adding a few extra twists that keep things fresh for both newcomers and longtime fans alike. The classic experience feels great, with easy to use controls and a presentation that keeps matches going at a smooth pace. Even dice rolls are simplified, handled individually or in a "Blitz" that resolves all the combat at once. The rotating and changing list of starting scenarios are interesting too. In one match, players might be recreating the early days of the first World War. Meanwhile, the next pits them against hungry zombie swarms across metropolitan neighborhoods and districts. And yet, no matter how outrageous the scenarios, somehow the classic Risk formula still fits.

Where Risk: Global Domination falters most is in how it handles its free-to-play aspect. Players are limited to a small number of available matches, paying in-game currency to start most matches and scenarios. Players can watch ads to pick up a few extra coins for matches or pay a one-time charge to remove the ads and unlock unlimited matches. And if players happen to like playing one of the non-standard scenarios in rotation at a given time? Well, they're more than welcome to revisit those maps and game types any time they want … but only if they shell out a few extra bucks for that specific map/game pack. This is on top of having to still pay those coins to start matches if you haven't paid for the unlock option. While there's a lot here to offer in terms of gameplay in Risk: Global Domination, it still feels a bit like a glorified demo and getting the most out of the things outside of the absolute basics means dropping money on a string of frustrating purchases in order to play the way you want.