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- BGG #18,576
- BGG rating
- 6.2
Star Trek Game
- 2–4 players
- 60 min
- Complexity 1.8/5
- 1979
- BGG rank
- BGG #21,479
- BGG rating
- 6.1
The Lord of the Rings Adventure Game
1978
Rules assistance for The Lord of the Rings Adventure Game
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–4 players
- 45 min
- 10+
- Complexity 1.9/5
Rules assistant for The Lord of the Rings Adventure Game
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
The Lord of the Rings Adventure Game is a board game released in 1978 for 2–4 players, 45 minutes per game, and ages 10 and up. It was designed by Michael Gray and its main mechanics are Hand Management, Dice Rolling, and Pick-up and Deliver.
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About the game
Milton Bradley marketed this game as a tie-in with Ralph Bakshi's "Lord of the Rings" animated feature film. However, aside from the artwork and the piece names, the game only bears a superficial resemblance to either the movie or Tolkien's works. Each player chooses a character from the Fellowship. The object of the game is to have that character cast a magic Ring into Mount Doom. Along the way from the Shire to their final destination, players have opportunities to pick up *several* Rings. These rings may be spent to get past opposing creatures. However, to win the game, a player must have at least one Ring when they reach Mount Doom. Cards allow a player to move 1-3 clear spaces ahead, to defeat Orcs or Nazgul, to bypass the various opposing creatures on the board, or to traverse mountain terrain, dictate movement. Cards are also useful for stealing rings from an opponent, relocating Nazgul on the board, and other functions. Each player has a hand of 5 cards with which to play the game. Die rolling comes into play for fighting Orcs, Nazgul, Shelob and Gollum when you don't have a card to defeat (or escape from) them, or to traverse the mountains. A special die tells players how many turns they will be bogged down in a mountain space once they enter it. Card and Ring management afford strategy opportunities, while the rules remain simple enough (and the game quick enough) to allow the game to be played by a wide variety of ages. Despite its divergence from the main story, the game itself offers a measure of challenge that makes it enjoyable - far more so than it would have been as a simple "roll-and-move" game with a strict adherence to the movie or book theme.
Designers
Publishers
- Milton Bradley
Questions and answers
The Lord of the Rings Adventure Game supports 2–4 players according to the catalogue. This range comes from the publisher’s listed player count, so the game can be set up for any group size within it. Some setups, rules and scoring details may still vary by player count, so check your edition’s rulebook for the exact configuration.
The listed playing time for The Lord of the Rings Adventure Game is 45 minutes. This is the publisher’s estimate for a full game. The actual duration depends on the group, the player count and familiarity with the rules: first sessions usually run longer, while experienced groups often finish faster. Setup and teaching time are not included in this estimate.
The catalogue lists The Lord of the Rings Adventure Game for ages 10 and up. This is the publisher’s recommendation and reflects reading demands, rule complexity and small components rather than theme alone. Younger players can often join with help from an adult, so check the age guidance on your edition and consider your group’s experience with board games.
The Lord of the Rings Adventure Game has a complexity rating of 1.9 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a light game. The rating reflects how much rules knowledge, planning and decision-making a typical game demands. Expect a longer first teach for heavier games, and use a preparation guide before game night.
The Lord of the Rings Adventure Game belongs to these categories: Fantasy, Movies / TV / Radio theme, and Adventure. Its main mechanics are Hand Management, Dice Rolling, and Pick-up and Deliver. Categories describe the theme and setting of a game, while mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you want something comparable.
The credited designers of The Lord of the Rings Adventure Game are: Michael Gray. These credits come from the published game data and name the people responsible for the game’s design, not its illustrators or publishers. Designer pages on MeepleRules collect other titles by the same designers, which helps when you enjoy a game and want to find similar ones.
The catalogue lists The Lord of the Rings Adventure Game as a base game. It can be played on its own with the components in the box and does not require any other title. Expansions, if any exist, add new content or rules on top of it and are listed separately in the catalogue with a link back to this base game.