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The Canonical list of Bible games.
Richard Hutnik
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This list is meant to be a list of games that refer to Bible verses and stories. It was inspired by people posting certain games on the Creationism Games list, that didn't quite fit. Games about Noah, or the Ark of the Covanent would fit. Games on the Salem Witch Trials would not, nor would the Crusades, although a wargame involving the Jews in Israel would be appropriate (or a game on the Jewish Civil War). I also ask that the list be free of duplicates.
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Posted Fri Apr 15, 2005 5:13 pm
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1. Board Game: The Ark of the Covenant [Average Rating:7.16 Overall Rank:275]
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Richard Hutnik
United States
Poughkeepsie
New York
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 Actual it is a good Carcassone variant
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Michael Zollo
United States
Tampa
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This is a GREAT version of carcassone. The only problem is we always forget to move the Ark. A serious mistake costing you points.:D
Very nicely done. I like it better than Vanilla Carcassone.
Stephen Schaefer
United States
Westerville
Ohio
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Fantastic standalone variant of Carcassone, and an instant favorite among our gaming group.
2. Board Game: The Settlers of Canaan [Average Rating:7.09 Overall Rank:505]
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Richard Hutnik
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Poughkeepsie
New York
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John Holmstrom
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This is actually a pretty fun version, we got it on clearence and it's worth it. We also plan on re-painting the pieces so we can play 10-person settlers.
sean johnson
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Indianapolis
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This does have a couple of benefits over regular Settlers of Catan. The main one is the addition of the temple of Jerusalem which adds an unique way to get victory points, as well as giving a new way the game can end. However, the fixed board does kill re-playability.
3. Board Game: The Journeys of Paul [Average Rating:5.95 Overall Rank:3720]
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Richard Hutnik
United States
Poughkeepsie
New York
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 Paul gets around.
Stephen Schaefer
United States
Westerville
Ohio
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Of all these Paul games, I think this is the best. As opposed to moving along pre-determined paths, one actually travels to other cities to set up churches, making the theme more of a first-century church game than a Paul game. Two sets of rules allow a managed experienced or a more randomized one, in terms of acquiring bonuses in various cities, plus the play style is open-ended to the point where you can set just about any set of winning conditions you desire! You can even play a solitaire game "against the cards". Plus, I like the board art and pieces better than the other Paul games.
4. Board Game: The Journeys of St. Paul [Average Rating:4.00 Unranked]
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Richard Hutnik
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Poughkeepsie
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 Apparently Avalon Hill thought it worthy of chronicalling his journeys also.
John Kula
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Victoria
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Avalon Hill also published 'Year of the Lord' about the same time.
5. Board Game: Saint Paul and the Unforgettable Journeys [Average Rating:3.50 Unranked]
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Richard Hutnik
United States
Poughkeepsie
New York
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 Once again, Paul is on the move.
6. Board Game: WWJD: What Would Jesus Do? The Game [Average Rating:3.43 Unranked]
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Richard Hutnik
United States
Poughkeepsie
New York
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 The key question... well, for Christians at least.
Michael Lewis
United States
Unspecified
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Well, in the description of the list, it says games that refer to Bible verses or stories, wouldn't this game cover a fair portion of the New Testament?
Richard Hutnik
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It is a bit tough coming up with hard and fast rules regarding this. The game does cause people to utilize their Bibles, I am fairly sure. I haven't played it. Anyone who has, can people state whether or not the game actually refers to Bible verses or Bible teaching?

It is easy for this list to get out of control, which I am trying to avoid.
Tim Mayse-Lillig
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From the description of the WWJD game, it seems to be based more on latter writings on morals and biblical interpretation if anything. More likely it is based on personality/ hypothetical situation quizzes from magazines like Seventeen.

I think if this list is going to include this game as "refering to Bible verses and stories" the same logic would also have to allow many games with vague biblical references such as any Lord of the Rings game, many egypt and middle eastern themed games, Apocalyptic games, etc...
Richard Hutnik
United States
Poughkeepsie
New York
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If people feel here it is too removed from the Bible, I will delete it. Again, I mean for this list to be a Canonical list (a reference), so I want to make sure I am on target with it. I do need to keep the list a bit tight, because the end result is people playing 5 word removed word association and getting a game on the list here. There is also a category for religious games. And several that have to do with Christian games (someone did a list, "best of Christian games").
David Jorgensen
United States
Princeton
New Jersey
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Every time this game appears on a list, I will remind everyone that WE DON'T KNOW HOW THIS GAME WORKS. There are no reviews, no session reports, nothing, except for a question (by me) asking how it works, mechanically. Does the author of the list know? In short, how do you gain points in this game? Some possibilities:

1) answer the dilemma in a way that no one guessed you would (as in Scruples -- I think unlikely for this game)
2) answer the dilemma in a way that the most people guessed you would (in which case morality is dictated by the majority and gameplay will depend on your group)
3) answer the dilemma according to the right answer printed on a card (in which case the game designers interpret God's plan for all)
4) other possibilities exist

Can someone who knows the answer to this please post?
Morgan Dontanville
United States
Brooklyn
New York
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Ask Constantine.
7. Board Game: Solomon's Treasure [Average Rating:5.25 Unranked]
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Glen Burnie
Maryland
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 This game is based on the book of Proverbs.
8. Board Game: Redemption [Average Rating:6.05 Overall Rank:4035]
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Glen Burnie
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 This is a CCG and every card has a biblical reference on it.
Ender Wiggins


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I found the Redemption CCG somewhat disappointing. Despite being superior in theme to the famous Magic The Gathering (MTG) CCG, it is inferior in gameplay - while being less complex, it is also less strategic, less tactical, and less satisfying. Furthermore it has some "cheesy" aspects that have the potential to trivialize the Bible.
Stephen Schaefer
United States
Westerville
Ohio
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What recent expansions have you played the game with? The older cards are simple to the point of being all but obsolete, but the last three-ish expansions have been a considerable evolution for the game.
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I've subsequently posted two reviews about this game, and both are on the critical side:

Review: Not many redeeming qualities for this Christian CCG
http://www.boardgamegeek.com/thread/340834

Review: A pictorial evaluation of the cards and components of Redemption CCG
http://www.boardgamegeek.com/thread/340846
9. Board Game: Bible TriBond [Average Rating:4.38 Unranked]
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Vince Londini
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London
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 Here's what Caleb was trying to think of, also the next one. Personally, I felt this game was weak. They couldn't seem to devise enough content (imho) so the design relies too heavily on "Christian love" type mechanics such as giving your moves away to your opponents, etc... I really don't enjoy this one much, though the original Tribond was a pretty good party game.
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10. Board Game: Bible Blurt! [Average Rating:4.19 Unranked]
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Vince Londini
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Ontario
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 Here's another one, guess I'll have to retrieve our set from wherever it ended up and get some pictures on the Geek!

I thought this was much better than Bible Tribond.
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11. Board Game: Bible Challenge [Average Rating:4.71 Unranked]
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Vince Londini
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 I'm not sure this is the game I have...as mine was published by Rainfall in the 90s and the board represents the books of the Bible, not the Apostles or tribes (at least as I recollect). Again, I'll try to get some pictures up sometime soon.
Mark Hudson
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I submitted some pics (just a scan of one of the question cards for now) but it might take a while to post pending approal.

To clarify, the game comes in a big blue box with a 4-section foldout board. The prominant feature of the board is the books of the Bible listed in order, but if you look closely, there is the Apostles in a yellow middle band, and the twelve tribes of Israel in an outer band.

The production values seem quite high for a 1984 game. I fear the publishers must have lost money on it. They should have instead devoted more resources to tightening up the quality of the questions (2,100 on 300 cards!). I'd rather have fewer cards/questions of higher quality.
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I have this game, and some pictures I recently submitted of the game can be seen here:
http://www.boardgamegeek.com/imagegallery.php3?gameid=8448

The BGG information about the game is correct. See also this review for more details about the game.
Edited Mon Oct 27, 2008 9:12 pm
Luke Morris
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Nagoya
Aichi
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Whooo! A bible game I've played. A weird mix of really really really easy questions and then totally impossible ones...
12. Board Game: The Game of Pilgrim's Progress [Average Rating:5.40 Unranked]
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Vince Londini
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London
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 Definitely for pre-teens. Some familiarty with the famous John Bunyan story helps.
Richard Hutnik
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Poughkeepsie
New York
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Complete with the classic, "roll and move". UGH. We have come so far.
Vince Londini
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:D Fair criticism!

But to defend my entry, The Game of Pilgrim's Progress is probably no less relevant than Ark of the Covenant, in that both very tangentially use the Bible for their theme. Ark of the Covenant comes out a hair ahead because it names some meeples "prophets," has a cardboard ark wandering about (which is not really very accurate - while the Ark was moved about somewhat during the unsettled period described in the Book of Judges and I Samuel, it was not forever roaming like a travelling talisman), and has "temples" (this being very inaccurate as the temple was in one place - "high places" would be a better term for the purpose they serve in the game).

As Richard offers, the themes of Pilgrim's Progress are thoroughly Biblical, but I conceed that it doesn't name a Bible event in its title. :)
Ben Harris
United States
Beaverton
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I am 100 pages into the book. A good read IMO.
Angela Pr.
Australia
Unspecified
Unspecified
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I have this game, and have owned it for about 4 years. I play it all the time with my sisters, and I think it's great!! I think it should be included in this thread, as it is very relavant to Scripture. It is full of symbolism, if that's what you're worried about. It uses Bible verses in the game also, so if that's what you're after, then keep it here.

Angela
Philip Thomas
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Nr Hemel Hempstead
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I have read the book. Its Protestantism is not all that obvious, many of the morals are ones Catholics would agree with (though this may be as much to say we are more in agreement than we might think!).

The Temples in Ark of the Covenant have been debated before. Someone claimed there was evidence for them...
13. Board Game: Redemption: City of Bondage [Average Rating:5.63 Overall Rank:4414]
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Glenn Pruitt
United States
Purcellville
Virginia
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 This is a decent little board game (designed by Richard Borg) that reuses the card artwork from Redemption the CCG.
Mike Ellis
Canada
Vernon
British Columbia
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This is a horrible game. It is not fun at all. Save yourself the trouble and buy a few redemption card packs!
Jighm Brown
United States
Rossville
Indiana
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I, on the other hand, really like this game and prefer it over the CCG. My buddy and I have ways of spicing up elements of games, too, and we do that with this game, though we play it normally, as well.

Jighm
14. Board Game: Scattergories: Bible Edition [Average Rating:5.36 Unranked]
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Vince Londini
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London
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 Another social game adapted for Bible content.
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15. Board Game: Year of the Lord [Average Rating:4.00 Unranked]
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Dwayne Hendrickson
United States
Oklahoma City
Oklahoma
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 This little item was the subject of a journal entry some time back. I think that it went for over $1,000 on ebay. (I may be mistaken)
Scott A. Reed
United States
Lawrence
Kansas
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That's the one... but did the buyer ever pay up? Enquiring minds want to know!
16. Board Game: Outburst Bible Edition [Average Rating:5.86 Unranked]
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Glen Burnie
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 For bible party games here is another. Used this in sunday school (high school age) a few times, but some of the sutff is pretty hard or technical so I would mark it if they were close.
17. Board Game: Exodus: The Game of Passover [Average Rating:0.00 Unranked]
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A L D A R O N
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Boston
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 A terrible unimaginative game, unfortunately.
18. Board Game: Solomon's Temple [Average Rating:3.50 Overall Rank:5469]
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Josh Edlin
United States
Nashville
Tennessee
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 A horrible game about building Solomon's Temple, while simultaneously attempting to destroy the temple your opponent is building.
Richard Hutnik
United States
Poughkeepsie
New York
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WAY too many cards for its own good. And by the same maker of Redemption cardgame.
19. Board Game: Credo [Average Rating:5.82 Overall Rank:3676]
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Robert Stetler
United States
Unspecified
Unspecified
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 A game where you represent an early Christian sect, arguing over what the exact wording should be for each creed related to Jesus's relationship to God, the specifics of his rescurrection, etc. In turning what was a heated, and often violent, debate into an almost role playing card game involving gleefully prosecuting "losing" factions, this game ends up both being historically enlightening and potentially blasphemous at the same time.
Richard Hutnik
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Poughkeepsie
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Ok, close enough. Has to do with how one INTERPRETS the Bible, but the events in it are not in the Bible.
Pierce Ostrander
United States
Manassas
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Now THAT sounds historical!
Andrea Angiolino
Italy
Rome
European Union
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Great game indeed! Proud to have it in my collection.
20. Board Game: Bible Trivia [Average Rating:4.92 Overall Rank:5292]
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Elijah Lau
Singapore
Singapore
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 a Bible game for sure. Supposedly not as difficult as Bible Challenge but I've yet to try out the latter.
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Glen Burnie
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The problem we had with this game was that the Adult questions were WAY too hard, and the kids questions were WAY too easy.
Elijah Lau
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Yes, I've had that experience too. Not that that's a bad thing. Has spurred me to read my Bible more.
Drew
United States
Eau Claire
Wisconsin
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Ugh. Played this one in college with someone who'd spent many years in Awana. Needless to say, I was toast.
Stephen Schaefer
United States
Westerville
Ohio
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This game is one key reason games with religious themes are seldom taken seriously. Answering obscure trivia questions to climb a rainbow is something one would expect to play at the Flanders household.
21. Board Game: The Jewish War [Average Rating:6.07 Unranked]
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Elijah Lau
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 Not that many wargames covering the 1-100 AD period. This was one of the few I came across in my hunt. The other was The Siege of Jerusalem.
22. Board Game: The Siege of Jerusalem [Average Rating:7.03 Overall Rank:701]
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Elijah Lau
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 See above. Everytime I see it, my heart says, Get it, get it! But my head says, Who're you going to play it with?!
Richard Hutnik
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Not referred to in the Bible, but during the time of the events in the book of Acts, through Revelations, including a prophesy or two in the Gospels. On this note, people can post some games based around the book of Revelations also.
David Wilson
United States
Carsoin
California
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I believe that the siege of Jerusalem is CLEARLY described in Matthew 24. It is also described in Zechariah 14.

David "the preacher" Wilson
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I believe the siege described in Zac was from the first capture of Judea, before the rebellion in 70 that ended at Massada.

But it's been a long time since I read the bible, probably 10 years, so I could be wrong.
Paul Elliott
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Cincinnati
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And Daniel references the fall of Jerusalem with the "abomination of desolation" (according to Jesus' application of said expression).
Ryan McSwain
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Amarillo
Texas
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I'm about to finish seminary, and it's too bad I don't have this game. Because once I get out of here, I doubt I'd ever find anyone else interested!
23. Board Game: at Whit's End [Average Rating:0.00 Unranked]
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Angela Frampton
United States
Fresno
California
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 based on the 'focus on the family' radio show
Richard Hutnik
United States
Poughkeepsie
New York
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Compleye with roll and move play mechanics. Yippie! Amazing how UNINNOVATIVE American designs are.
24. Board Game: Satan! [Average Rating:6.60 Unranked]
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Tim Mayse-Lillig
United States
Chicago
Illinois
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 players try to be the first to get all sixes on three dice.
Philip Thomas
United Kingdom
Nr Hemel Hempstead
Hertfordshire
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Oh dear...
Marc Kob
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Pennsylvania
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Brilliant! How do I get a copy?
Justin Kosec
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Waconia
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As of when I'm writing this, too, the game rating is 6.66. There's some sort of brilliant metagame happening with the ratings system here....
25. Board Game: Babel [Average Rating:6.77 Overall Rank:424]
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Tim Mayse-Lillig
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 a decent tower of babel game with nice stone bits.
Richard Hutnik
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I was wavering a bit on this game, as it doesn't really match up with the building of the Tower of Babel, but uses it in the name. But, heck, it refers to something in the Old Testament, and the time period matches, so in a pinch, it is a fit.
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6 comments [Hide]
Alan Turniansky
United States
Lake Worth
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So, does the title of this list mean that you have declared all "Bible" games not on it to be apochryphal?
Nikolai Dimitri-Z
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Champaign
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:D Sorry, that's funny.
Richard Hutnik
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Alan, any games aren't approved by the council of Geekcia ARE not canonical. So, the council of Geekcia better get to work :-).
Mark Hudson
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"Bible Who Am I" is a simple Bible trivia game I remember well from my childhood (in the 1970's). It was a deck of about 50 playing-card-sized cards containing clues about various Biblical characters. Each card had 3 or 4 clues --presumably with the first being hardest and the last being easiest, though if you weren't familiar with the character, you might never guess right.

Advantages: very educational, because after playing it enough times, you will remember certain key facts about the characters.

Disadvantages: small deck means that after playing it enough times, you have it memorized.

The clues were well written and sometimes humourous: for instance, "Some might say he had no parents" is a punny clue for Joshua, the son of "Nun." (Groan perhaps, but see what I mean about educational? I remember that trivial fact to this day, umpteen years later!)

Unfortunately, our copy of this game was lost in a fire in the 1990's and I have been unable to find any information about who originally published it. The only other clues to its existence are that there was at least one other companion game by the same manufacturer--can't remember the name (Secular Who Am I?)--distinguished by having a red box-border/card-back instead of the green.
Richard Hutnik
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Upon further judgement, I deleted:
The Settlers of Zarahemla, as it is based on the Book of Mormons. I could do a stretch to get the game included, by comparing the Book of Mormons to Pilgrims Progress (aka, an alegorical work of fiction based around NT texts), but that argument would end up being offensive to Mormons out there. Some Mormon might want to do another geek list, which could be a superset of this list, and also include Mormon related material, such as the Settlers of Zarahemla.

Anyhow, if anyone is interested, feel free to check this out:
http://www.boardgamegeek.com/game/6778

I hope I haven't offended anyone by removing the game from the list.
Ender Wiggins


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I've just added some more games to the list. One that doesn't really fit is the forthcoming (2006) "Onward, Christian Soldiers" game from Richard Berg. It includes a map of Israel/Palestine, but is themed on the Crusades. More info here: http://www.boardgamegeek.com/game/18747

To Mark Hudson: The Bible Who Am I game is now on BGG, you can find it here: Who Am I? Bible Game. It's also listed as an entry on this list.
Edited Mon Oct 27, 2008 9:16 pm
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